Sydney John NELSON

NELSON, Sydney John

Service Number: 459
Enlisted: 19 August 1914, An original member of C Squadron
Last Rank: Trooper
Last Unit: 3rd Light Horse Regiment
Born: Longford, Tasmania, Australia, 29 April 1893
Home Town: Longford, Northern Midlands, Tasmania
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Illness, Egypt, 24 October 1918, aged 25 years
Cemetery: Cairo War Memorial Cemetery
Row Q, Grave No. 17.
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Longford Christ Church Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

19 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 459, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, An original member of C Squadron
20 Oct 1914: Involvement Private, 459, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Hobart embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: ''
20 Oct 1914: Embarked Private, 459, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Geelong, Hobart
24 Oct 1918: Involvement Trooper, 459, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 459 awm_unit: 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment awm_rank: Trooper awm_died_date: 1918-10-24

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Sydney John Nelson (John) was one the two sons of the widowed Mrs. Maria Nelson of Longford, Tasmania, who lost their lives during WW1, their deaths almost bookending both the start and beginning of the Australian involvement, Gordon Nelson being killed a week after the Anzac Landing and John Nelson dying on 24 October 1918, just before the Armistice began.

The Launceston Daily Telegraph reported in November 1918,

“Mrs. Nelson was informed that her son John had died from pneumonia, on October 24, at the 3lst Stationary Hospital, Abbasia. This is a particularly sad ease, from the fact that this young soldier, together with his brother Gordon, were two of the first to enlist at Longford when the war broke out, the latter having paid the supreme, sacrifice shortly after the famous landing at Gallipoli. It was expected that Private John Nelson would be returning shortly on furlough together with Major Mills, with whom a number of Longford soldiers left in 1914.”

John served right through the Gallipoli campaign and almost three years in the Middle East. He was twice mentioned in despatches, a rare achievement for a Trooper in the Light Horse. Both mentions were for conspicuous gallantry and skill as a scout on many occasions. He fell ill on 7 October, developed malaria, and died of pneumonia eleven days later.

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