Victor William Nicholls MM
Memorial: Dyrham - St Peter's Church
Regiment: Royal Fusiliers
Medals: British War Medal, Military Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Corporal G/14372
Parents: William and Eliza Nicholls
Home address: Hinton Village, Hinton, South Glos
Pre-war occupation: Farm Labourer
Date of birth: 1891
Place of birth: Hinton, South Glos
Date of death: 19/08/1918
Buried/Commemorated at: Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleul, Nord, France
Age: 27
Further information:
Victor was the son of William and Eliza Nicholls of Hinton. William was a blacksmith in Hinton. By the time of WW1 Victor had moved to Hounslow, London.
Victor was a corporal in the 2nd (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers). His battalion was later attached to the 86th Trench Mortar Battery.
Victor was killed in action on 19th August 1918 aged 27. He was buried in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleul.
Victor was awarded the Military Medal, Victory Medal and British War Medal.
The London Regiment was a Territorial regiment in the Royal Fusiliers. It was posted to Malta at the start of the war, part of the regiment went to France and another to Gallipoli, then France. The 2nd Battalion was attached to the 86th Trench Mortar battery in the 86th Brigade of the 29th Division. In July 1918, the Division was rested. On the 22nd July the Division moved to Noordpeene and in August the Battalion moved into the Brigade Reserve. On 10th August, they relieved the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers in the line. Outtersteene had been captured by the Germans on the 12th July 1918. On the 18th and 19th August, the day Victor died, the 29th Division and two others regained Outtersteene. In this action, 22 officers and 18 other ranks were killed and 2 officers and 53 other ranks were wounded.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Edward Walsh
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Forces War Records