Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ronald Keith Nicholls “Ron” was born on the 6th of September 1921 to parents Adelaide Sarah May and Ernest Henry Nicholls in Ceduna, South Australia. Ron was the 4th youngest out of 13 children to this prominent pioneering family of the Far West Coast. (Ancestry,2024)
Ron’s siblings in order were Gladys, Winifred, William, Stanley Arthur, Leonard, Ray, Ivy, Clarence John, Martha Joyce, Kenneth Neil, Doreen, and Lorna. Ron began his schooling at Goode Hall School in 1927. Goode Hall School was a small standalone building that provided education for children of farmers in the Goode region, all the children who attended this school were in one classroom. Before Ron started school, this school had burned down, and classes took place in an iron shed (Jolly, P.1989).
Ron enjoyed learning and his time throughout school, this would have been because from the time he started school the majority of his siblings made up the class. Ronald performed well at school, and this is shown through the awards that he won from the Far West Schools Association. This included 3rd prize for sheet writing and 2nd prize for open humorous drawing (Jolly, P.1989). Ron travelled 13 miles to school via horse and cart every day and finished his schooling in grade seven to work on his parent’s farm located 40km Northeast of Ceduna in the Hundred of Goode.
Before enlisting in the war Ron played football for the Goode Football team and even won a trophy for the best back man in one of the years he played. However, he broke his ankle when he landed in a rabbit hole whilst he was playing.
(Nicholls, J.2024)
Before Ron turned 18, he attempted to enlist in Ceduna where most of his older brothers had enlisted but he was too young, so he gave the incorrect date of birth. This was found out and Ron was refused.
After his failed attempt at enlisting Ron moved to Adelaide and lived with one of his aunts whilst working for the railways. Throughout his time in Adelaide, all the streetlights and traffic lights had to be blacked out to avoid being seen by the Japanese, making traveling through Adelaide a daunting task. Ron didn’t last long in Adelaide as he could not stand the city life. (Nicholls, E .2024).
Soon after, Ron moved back to Ceduna before choosing to leave where he attempted to enlist again in New South Wales before he was 21. How Ronald came to enlist in New South Wales is unknown; however, he most likely enlisted here as it was near where the army camps were training. He enlisted at Warrawong on the 14th of July, 1942 (Virtual War Memorial,2024). Ron began his training before he was 21 at Liverpool training camp in the Centre of New South Wales (National Archives of Australia,2024), this training lasted several weeks before Ronald was sent toward Darwin.
On the 19th of February 1942, at 10 am the Japanese launched the first attacks on Darwin; hitting shipping, infrastructure, and parts of the town, it lasted a total of 25 minutes. The Bombing of Darwin was a series of Bombing raids on Darwin and Northern Australia (National Archives of Australia,2024). Darwin was targeted as its airfields, port facilities, and military installations made it a prime target for the Japanese. Through bombing Darwin, the Japanese aimed to reduce the occupational capacity of the Allied forces who were stationed in Darwin. As news of Darwin being bombed was released this caused many Australian men to enlist with the fear of the Japanese attacking Australia again, this is most likely why Ron chose to enlist.

Travelling to Darwin was long and slow with many vehicles, goods, and men to be transported. Ron spent his 21st birthday just north of Alice Springs which was the furthest he had been away from home. As Ron and other soldiers in the 10/48th battalion travelled further north toward Darwin the weather got warmer and the men in Ron’s battalion began taking breaks at waterholes. The waterholes that the men would swim in were inhabited by crocodiles and Ron soon earnt the job of sitting on a high ledge and keeping a lookout for any crocodiles in waterholes (Nicholls, E.2024).

Ron’s battalion was camped outside Darwin in a thick forest area as they didn’t want to have all the men in one location in case the Japanese attacked again. Ron was responsible for going into Darwin to collect provisions, mail, and goods which had to be transported back to the camp. Ron was in a bakery in Darwin to collect a bread order when sirens went off signaling more bombs being dropped by the Japanese. Ron was met with panic and chaos; this was also the first time he had met an African American as the US soldiers had arrived in Darwin before the Australians. The man grabbed Ron’s arm and said, “Come on Brother, we have to get out of here” (Nicholls, E,2024). From there they ran into the outskirts of Darwin into a field of cattle and found a ditch where they hid until the bombing stopped (Nicholls, E,2024). Ron recalled, “I remembered one raid 15/3/1943 where I was in the target area and had to take shelter in a cemetery in a grave that had been dug.” This was recorded in Ron’s personal records (Appendix-Item 3). The raid on the 15th of March 1943, took place in the early hours of the morning and lasted an estimated 10-20 minutes (Australian War Memorial,2023). It was carried out by a formation of Japanese aircraft including bombers and fighter jets, this attack caused major damage to much of Darwin’s infrastructure. The Australian Air Force responded to this raid which helped to drive the Japanese attackers away from Darwin and reduced the impact of the attack. (Australian War Memorial,2023)




The Bombing of Darwin lasted many months, ended on the 12th of November 1943, and resulted in many casualties and damage to important infrastructure in Darwin such as the Wharf, shipping, and oil tanks. Throughout Ron’s service in Darwin, Darwin was raided 60 times, and a total of 250 people were killed (Australian War Memorial, 2023). Following the Bombing of Darwin many local businesses closed, and many civilians fled Darwin in fear of further Japanese air raids.

Ron was officially discharged from the army on the 19th of February 1944 and served for a total of 677 days.



Ron was awarded several medals for his service in the Australian forces such as the 1939-1945 Star, The Australian Defence Medal, The War Medal, and the Australian Service Medal.





After Ron was discharged from the Army he returned to work with his father on his parent’s farm. On the 1st of March 1945, Ron married Valda Avis Ettridge in the St Augustine Church in Streaky Bay, South Australia. On the 3rd of October, 1945, their first child Kayleen Valda was born, unfortunately, she passed away the following day. On the 8th of June, 1947, Ron and Valda had their second child, Janet May. Their third child Shirley Anne was born on the 10th of October 1948, this was the same year Ron purchased his own farm. This was followed by their fourth child Julie Kay who was born on the 12th of July 1952. On the 10th of November, 1955, their fifth child Wendy Fay (Ginge) was born, Ron also joined the bowling club when it opened this same year. Their only male child Jeffery Ronald was born on the 18th of March, 1958 and their youngest child Patricia Jean was born on the 4th of September 1964. They raised their family on the farm with no electricity or mains water supply.

Throughout his adulthood, Ron enjoyed going on hunting trips to the Gawler Ranges with his brothers, and in his later years, he would take his son or his grandchildren on these trips (Appendix-Item 3). Ron played bowls for much of his adult life until he had a stroke in his later years and was unable to play anymore. Ron also attended ANZAC Day services even in his older years as this was very important to him.





Ron and Valda moved from their home in Ceduna into the Senior Citizens Village in 1995. They lived here until Ron passed away from a stroke in the Ceduna Hospital at age 91 on the 15th of September 2012, surrounded by his beloved family.