The AIF Project

James Louis NITCHIE

Regimental number146
Place of birthPort Melbourne, Victoria
SchoolAshby State School, Victoria
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationLabourer
Address12 Queen Street, Geelong, Victoria
Marital statusMarried
Age at embarkation25
Height5' 6"
Weight136 lbs
Next of kinWife, Mrs J Nitchie, c/o Mrs Collins, Queen Street, Geelong West, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed for 4 years in the Royal Australian Navy.
Enlistment date18 August 1914
Place of enlistmentGeelong, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name8th Battalion, A Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/25/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A24 Benalla on 19 October 1914
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll60th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFromelles, France
Age at death27
Age at death from cemetery records27
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 21), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
170
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Louis and Clara NITCHIE; husband of Rebecca Saville GORDON, 151 Corio Street, Geelong East, Victoria. Native of Port Melbourne, Victoria
Family/military connectionsBrother: 2426 Leslie Hector NITCHIE, 23rd Bn, killed in action, Pozieres, France, 4 August 1918.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Embarked Aexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 5 April 1915.

Admitted to hospital, Gallipoli, 18 July 1915; rejoined Bn from hospital, 21 July 1915 (no further details recorded).

Admitted to 2nd Field Ambulance Dressing station, Anzac, 30 August 1915 (diarrhoea), transferred same day to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, and thence to 26th Casualty Clearing Station, Imbros; to Base, 2 September 1915, and thence by HS 'Scotian' to Malta, 10 September 1915 (enteric and debility); admitted to St Patrick's Hospital, Malta, 19 September 1915; transferred to Ghain Tuffieha Convalescent Camp, 14 September 1915; invalided to England, and admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital, Egbaston, Birmingham, 8 October 1915 (sick: severe). Marched in to Base Depot, Weymouth, 29 November 1915. Disembarked Alexandria from England, 13 January 1916; rejoined Bn, Tel el Kebir, 14 January 1916.

Transferred to 60th Bn, and taken on strength, 24 February 1916.

Found guilty, 6 March 1916, of being absent without leave from 3 pm, 3 March, until apprehended by Provost Staff at Benha Station 2200, 3 March 1916: awarded forfeiture of 2 days' pay; forfeited 1 day's pay under Royal Warrant.

Admitted to 15th Field Ambulance, 8 April 1916 (conjunctivitis); transferred same day to 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station (defective vision); to No 2 Australian Stationary Hospital, 10 April 1916 (concussion, blindness); to No 4 Hospital Train, and admitted to 3rd Australian General Hospital, 14 April 1916; discharged to Base details, Tel el Kebir, 22 April 1916; rejoined Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 26 April 1916.

Charged with malingering, 4 May 1916: case dismissed; insufficient evidence to convict.

Embarked Alexandri to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Reported missing, 19 July 1916.

B103 note: 'Died. Effects in German Hands being reported as Killed in Action.'

Note on file: 'Austr. Sold. Nitchie, J.L. 60. Batl. Am 19.7. in Gegend Fromelles gefallen.'

Note, Red Cross File No 20104018: 'Prisoner of war Died 19-7-16 ... Personal effects Cert. by - German List dated 13-9-16.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsNext of kin address subsequently (1926): Mrs R.S. GORDON, 151 Corio Street, Geelong East, Victoria
SourcesNAA: B2455, NITCHIE James Louis
Red Cross File No 20104018

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