ELPHINSTONE, Nicholas Archibald
| Service Number: | 2159 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 March 1916, Royal Agricultural Showgrounds, Sydney, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 56th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia, January 1893 |
| Home Town: | Corrimal, Wollongong, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Bank clerk |
| Died: | Grafton, New South Wales, Australia, 22 June 1974, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Clarence Lawn Cemetery (Grafton) |
| Memorials: | Sydney (ANZ) English, Scottish and Australian Bank Great War Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2159, 56th Infantry Battalion, Royal Agricultural Showgrounds, Sydney, NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 2159, 56th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 2159, 56th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Sydney, Sydney | |
| 15 May 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2159, 56th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second) | |
| 20 Aug 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 56th Infantry Battalion, Belgium | |
| 26 Sep 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2159, 56th Infantry Battalion, Polygon Wood, SW to right thigh and buttocks. Evacuated to UK. Rejoined unit 28 April 1918. | |
| 8 Aug 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2159, 56th Infantry Battalion, The Battle of Amiens | |
| 1 Sep 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2159, 56th Infantry Battalion, Mont St Quentin / Peronne | |
| 1 Oct 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2159, 56th Infantry Battalion, Breaching the Hindenburg Line - Cambrai / St Quentin Canal | |
| 5 Apr 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2159, 56th Infantry Battalion, RTA Feburary 1920 for discharge (TPE). |
Help us honour Nicholas Archibald Elphinstone's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Wight
Nicholas Archibald Elphinstone, born 1893, enlisted with the AIF on 21st March 1916 and in late 1916, wrote from Hurdcott Camp:
“This is a short outline of a day’s work: — 6.30 a.m. — Out of bed to fold blankets and clean hut, shave and wash. 7.15. — Breakfast. 8.5. — Fall in, in drill order. 8.30. — Battalion parade. 8.30 to 9.30. — Musketry (physical and lectures). 9.30 to 10.30. — Bayonet drill. 10.30 to 11.30. — Physical drill. 11.30 to12.30— Company drill. 12.30 p.m. to 1.45—Dinner. 2 p.m. — Battalion parade. 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.— Company drill. 3 to 4 —Physical drill. 4 to 5.— Bayonet drill. 5 to 7. — Teatime. 7 to 9. — Lectures.
This is a day’s drill for last week. This week we are on bomb work, and it keeps us going as strong as last week. So you can tell we do not get much time for letter writing, etc. We had about 3 inches of snow here 2 days ago, and, although it was cold when it started to
snow, it soon warmed up again. We have huts to live in here, with good coal stoves in the centre of each, so you see we are comfortable in that way. I am enjoying the very best of health and have put on about 10lbs. in weight since I left Ulmarra. As it is just on “lights out” I must conclude, again thanking you for the Xmas cheer and hoping you are
enjoying the best of weather in the district. Please give my best wishes to the members of your League for a bright and prosperous New Year.”
Private Elphinstone was appointed Lance Corporal on 20th August, 1917. He was wounded in action on 26th September, 1917 with shrapnel wounds to right thigh. Private Elphinstone was invalided to England for recuperation at 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol and rejoined his Battalion on 28th April, 1918.
He married Alice Irene Hewer on 5th June, 1919 in the Parish Church at East Preston, Sussex, England and they returned to Australia in February, 1920. He died on 22nd June 1974, aged 81.
Source: The Map of Australia: A First World War Chalk Badge at Compton Chamberlayne, Wiltshire
Click images to start slideshow.