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Private Arthur Nicol
Description
TitlePrivate Arthur NicolSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionArthur was born at Glentunnel on the 21st of March 1887, youngest son of Alexander and Isabel Nicol. Before enlisting Arthur worked in the Denniston mines for Waipa Coal, alongside his eldest brother Alexander. He was a member of the Black Diamonds Football Club, which noted after the war that out of the 1914 list of players, 20 had joined the forces, of which seven had "gone west.'' He was 5ft 6in tall with a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair.
Arthur enlisted at Christchurch on 5th January 1917 and was assigned to 25th Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Regiment. Whilst in camp he was promoted to Lance Corporal on 4th March 1916. He embarked on the SS Turakina on 26 April 1917. Whilst at sea he was hospitalised with a bout of influenza. He arrived in England and Sling Camp on 20th July. As was usual on marching into Sling Camp he reverted to the rank of private. He left for France on the 5th September 1917 and was attached to the strength on 9th September at Etaples. He joined the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Infantry Regiment in the field on 16th September and was killed almost four weeks later on 12th October during the Passchendaele action. Initially he was declared missing in action but a court of enquiry was held in the field on 11th November 1917. A fellow unit member, J. M. Robinson, told how they had “moved off from the trench together, I reached the second pill box with Lcp Joyce, there was heavy machine gun fire on this wire. I think it probable that these men were felled here.” Accordingly the finding was that he was “missing believed killed”, aged 31. His body must have been found and identified for he is buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, plot XXI. B. I. Arthur is remembered on the Malvern County and the South Malvern War Memorials. He is also remembered on his father’s headstone in the south Malvern Cemetery.
First NameArthurLast NameNicolFamilySingleYoungest son of Alexander and Isabel NicolDate of Birth21 March 1887Place of BirthGlentunnelDate of Death12 October 1917Place of DeathPasschendaleCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death31
Arthur enlisted at Christchurch on 5th January 1917 and was assigned to 25th Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Regiment. Whilst in camp he was promoted to Lance Corporal on 4th March 1916. He embarked on the SS Turakina on 26 April 1917. Whilst at sea he was hospitalised with a bout of influenza. He arrived in England and Sling Camp on 20th July. As was usual on marching into Sling Camp he reverted to the rank of private. He left for France on the 5th September 1917 and was attached to the strength on 9th September at Etaples. He joined the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Infantry Regiment in the field on 16th September and was killed almost four weeks later on 12th October during the Passchendaele action. Initially he was declared missing in action but a court of enquiry was held in the field on 11th November 1917. A fellow unit member, J. M. Robinson, told how they had “moved off from the trench together, I reached the second pill box with Lcp Joyce, there was heavy machine gun fire on this wire. I think it probable that these men were felled here.” Accordingly the finding was that he was “missing believed killed”, aged 31. His body must have been found and identified for he is buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, plot XXI. B. I. Arthur is remembered on the Malvern County and the South Malvern War Memorials. He is also remembered on his father’s headstone in the south Malvern Cemetery.
First NameArthurLast NameNicolFamilySingleYoungest son of Alexander and Isabel NicolDate of Birth21 March 1887Place of BirthGlentunnelDate of Death12 October 1917Place of DeathPasschendaleCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death31
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageMalvern War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryTyne Cot CemeteryMalvern County War MemorialSouth Malvern War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingCoal-minerRegiment or ServiceCanterbury Infantry Regiment Enlistment Details5th January 1917 at ChristchurchService Number46200 Embarkation26th April 1917TransportTurakinaReinforcement25th ReinforcementsCountryNew Zealand
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. Seaton
Private Arthur Nicol. Selwyn Stories, accessed 09/05/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/310