Regimental number | 4860 |
Place of birth | Garrawillia Station, Coonabarabran, New South Wales |
School | Coonabarabran Public School, New South Wales |
Religion | Church of England |
Occupation | Labourer |
Address | Coonabarabran, New South Wales |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 26 |
Height | 5' 8.5" |
Weight | 179 lbs |
Next of kin | Father, A. Nelson, Coonabarabran, New South Wales |
Previous military service | Nil |
Enlistment date | |
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
Place of enlistment | Narrabri, New South Wales |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 3rd Battalion, 15th Reinforcement |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/20/3 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A15 Star Of England on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Corporal |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 55th Battalion |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Age at death from cemetery records | 27 |
Place of burial | No known grave |
Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 13), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 161 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Alexander and Susanna NELSON, The Old Rectory, Coonabarabran, New South Wales |
Family/military connections | Brothers: 841 Lance Corporal Albert Thomas NELSON, 33rd Bn, returned to Australia, 30 January 1918; 2437 Pte Francis Alexander NELSON, 18th Bn, returned to Australia, 3 July 1917; Cousin: 3594 Pte John William MONTGOMERY, 17th Bn, returned to Australia, 12 May 1918. |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Taken on strength of 55th Bn, Ferry Post, 20 April 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Posted missing, 20 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 6 December 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'. Note, Red Cross File No 1990401: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills 10.10.19.' Statement, 3594 Pte J.W. MONTGOMERY, 2nd Anzac Cycle Bn (patient, No 35 General Hospital, Calais), 18 October 1916: 'He was seen wounded in a German trench and I have spoken to the chaps who saw him but I don't know their names; and the Q.M. told me that he had got word back that he had been taken prisoner with a man Mongomery [4854 R. MONTGOMERY, 55th Bn] in the fifty something Battalion.' Second statement, 4799 Pte D. DUIGNON, 55th Bn (patient, 1st Southern General Hospital, Dudley Road Section, Birmingham, England), 24 November 1916: 'One of the men in my battalion has had a letter from Nlson dated [blank] from Germany, in which Nelson states that he is a prisoner in the German camp.' Third statement, 4786 Pte H.J. CURTIS, C Company, 55th Bn (patient, No 4 Australian General Hospital, Randwick), 20 November 1917: 'He was out stretcher bearing on the evening of 20/7/16 at Fleurbaix - he had volunteered for this duty - he was with a mate called Geo. Cartwright and Cartwright told me here that Nelson and he were separated on the night [of] 20/7/16 and that a German patrol captured Nelson and he Cartwright had to return.' Note by interviewer: 'A careful witness.' Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Sources | NAA: B2455, NELSON Alexander Edward
Red Cross File No 1990401 |