S11806
NICHOLS, Roland Albert
| Service Number: | 7274 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Station Hand |
| Died: | Circumstances of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Norwood Primary School Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 7274, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1917: | Embarked Private, 7274, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 7274, 10th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Roland Albert Nichols was a station hand who enlisted in the 10th Battalion of the Australian Army on the 6th of February 1917. Roland was the son of Catherine Maud Nichols and Albert Walter Nichols. He was born in Suffolk England in May of 1899. At the time of his enlistment, Roland was not married and was living alone at 62 Hutt Street in the city of Adelaide. His mother and father lived in Mile End and later moved to Stepney. When he enlisted in the A.I.F, he was aged 18 years old and 1 month and had been signed off by both of his parents consenting to let him fight in the war.
On the 23 of June 1917, Roland joined the 10th infantry battalion as a private and embarked from Adelaide of the HMAT Borda, Adelaide. He disembarked on the 25.8.17 in Plymouth England. After training in England, he was taken to France during January 1918. It was not long after his training was complete when he was admitted to hospital in January of 1918 due to sickness. After being released from hospital Roland and his battalion fought alongside the allied forces and other ANZACS on the Western front.
On the 22.7.1918 Roland sustained a gunshot wound to his right thigh. He was transported from the front lines in France to Bethnal Green England to the third Australian Auxiliary Hospital. It is very likely that his gunshot wound ultimately ended his time as a soldier and that he was released from the hospital and found his job in Birmingham after making a recovery.
After he was wounded from the gunshot, he applied to do a course in wool broking and ended up staying in England working at a company called Wolseley Sheep Shearing Co in Birmingham. We know he was working there throughout his time in England as he had a 'granted leave form' at the bottom of his official travel register giving him permission to take time off from 20.5.1919 - 1.7.1919. Because of the severity of his wound, he would not have returned to battle, and it is likely that his job at the sheep shearing company is what delayed him from coming back to Australia directly after sustaining his injury.
He did eventually return to Australia on the 22nd of August 1919. One year after his arrival back in Australia he married Lillian Maud Nichols (born Antell) on the 2nd of June 1920 in Norwood South Australia. Roland was aged 21 and Lillian was aged 23. Upon his arrival back to Australia he had a change of profession and became a taxi prop/hire car driver.
On the 10th of November 1970 Roland Albert Nichols passed away in Hyde Park from unknown reasons. His burial is in Pasadena, Mitcham, Adelaide, South Australia.