Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1889 - 1931) Tuesday 25 December 1917

DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE

NICHOLLS. —Lance-Corporal Ernest John Nicholls, killed in action May 9 (previously reported missing). Loved in life, honored in death. Deeply mourned.— Inserted by his sorrowing sister, Gert Bogisch, Port Wakefield.

NICHOLLS. — Killed in action in France, May 9, 1917, No. 1575, Lance-Corporal E. J. Nicholls, 10th Battalion, eldest dearly beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. N. Nicholls, Port Lincoln, aged 27 years.

How hard it is to part with those

We hold on earth most dear, 

The heart no greater trial knows,

No sorrow more severe. 

Too dearly loved to ever be forgotten.    

—Inserted by his sorrowing parents, sisters, and brother, Will, on, active service, abroad.

Ernest (Ern) John Nicholls was born in Port Wakefield on May 8th, 1890, to Lydia (1857–1938) and Nathaniel Nicholls (1858–1935). 

Ernest had five siblings, two older sisters, Beatrice May Nicholls (1885–1955), and Gertrude Victoria Nicholls (1887–1941), a younger brother, William John Nicholls, who also joined WW1, and a younger sister Daisy Clara Nicholls (1892–Deceased). He grew up in Port Wakefield and attended Port Wakefield Public School. After school, he worked as a saddler/harness maker and a train cleaner until 1914 when he joined the war. He was 5'8 with fair skin, brown hair, and grey eyes. 

Ernest enlisted in the war on December 2nd, 1914, at the age of 24, joining the 10th Battalion, and embarked to Cairo on the HMAT M54 Runic on February 19th 1915. He was taken on strength with the 10th Battalion at Gallipoli 7th May 1915

 Ernest fought at Gallipoli until the end of August where he was sent to hospital. The worsening conditions in Gallipoli caused a wave of dysentery to sweep through the soldiers, affecting Ernest. He was sent to Mudros in Lemnos for treatment. After he was there for a day he was sent to a hospital in Alexandria, and then Heliopolis, and on the same day was then transferred to 2nd Australian Auxiliary hospital in Cairo. He stayed at that hospital until the 2nd of September and then was sent to No 2 Auxiliary Convalescent Depot in Cairo. On 20th September he was transferred to a training camp in Zeitoun and was deemed fit for active service on the 23rd. However, before Ernest could rejoin his unit, the dysentery flared again on the 9th of October and was admitted to a hospital in Cairo until the 12th when he was discharged to duty. He trained in Cairo until the 25th of November when he travelled to Lemnos and then travelled to Alexandria on board the "Seang Bee".

At Alexandria, Ernest rejoined with his unit (10th Battalion) and joined the British Expeditionary Force sailing to Marseilles on the “Saxonia” arriving at Marseilles on April 3rd, 1916. At Marseilles he trained at Strazeele, Godewaersvalde, and Sailly-sur-la-Lys. After that he stayed in billets (temporary resting shelters) near Fromelles until the 6th of June where he was sent to the front lines for the first time. Due to the very wet conditions in Fromelles, the trenches could not be dug deep and were prone to flooding, so the soldiers were forced to construct breastworks using sandbags and wood up around the trenches. The conditions in these trenches were terrible, leading to diseases like trench foot and making illnesses prone to spreading quickly.

On the 13th of June, Ernest was sent to hospital for an infection and transferred several times to different hospitals in Havre, Wimereux, Etaples, and Camiers until the 17th of July when he was temporarily discharged from hospital to attend a Field General Court Martial in Havre. A Field general Court Martial was a high level court martial authorised to impose severe penalties on soldiers when more formal courts were impossible. The Court Martial found him guilty of being in Havre without a pass and being absent from the Tattoo roll (roll call). For this he was docked 15 days’ pay, a relatively light punishment. After that, Ernest was sent back to hospital in Etaples and was transferred, discharged, and recharged into many different hospitals in Etaples, Camiers, Amiens, and Roen over the next five months. 

On the 3rd of December 1916 Ernest was finally reported clear of the infection and rejoined his unit on the Western front on the 4th of January 1917. Ernest was part of the attack to capture the German occupied Le Braque Switch trenches on February 25. The attack was successful but cost the 10th battalion 20% of its men. 

Later, he was part of the Battle of Arras (9th of April to 16th May 1917) a French offensive consisting of many battles in the villages near the Hindenburg line. Ernest was appointed Lance Corporal on the 19th of April, during the Arras offensive. On the 9th of May 1917 as his unit was retreating from the battle at Bullecourt a shell hit him in the back and he died.

After Nicholls died, his mother and father, Lidia and Nathaniel Nicholls sent the AIF four separate letters asking for them to confirm his death officially. It wasn’t until December 18, 1917, that the AIF confirmed his death and not until August 1918 when they got his official certificate of death. In between the two events, his parents received a package of his belongings: post cards, photos, two pipes, paper cuttings, and a gift tin. 

On Thursday 9th May 1918, the anniversary of his death, his family and close friends put tributes to him in the paper which read:

NICHOLLS.

—In loving memory of Lance-Corporal E. J. Nicholls, who was killed in action in France on May 9, 1917. Ever remembered by his loving sister and brother-in-law, M. and G.

Bogisch, Quorn.

NICHOLLS.

—In sad, but loving memory of my dear brother Ern., 10th Battalion, killed in action, at Bullecourt, May 9, 1917.

The hardest part is yet to come,

When the heroes all come home;

And we miss among the cheering throng

The smiling face of our dear Ern.

—Inserted by his sorrowing sister, Gert Bogisch,

Port Wakefield.

NICHOLLS.— In loving memory of our dear Ern (Nat), who was killed May 9, 1917 (previously reported missing). "Ever remembered" by his sincere friends, C. Liddell, and family.