1st Royal Marine Battalion, Royal Marine Light Infantry
Researches reveal quite a lot of detailed information about Herbert Nicholls’ military career but general information regarding his life before military service is sparse.
His Royal Marine record indicates Herbert Charles Nicholls was born on 10 March 1885 but it is not certain where. This may have been Bristol and the 1911 Census does record a Herbert Nicholls, of the appropriate age, living with his wife, Emmie (who was three years older) at 5 Balfour Road,
Gloucester.
His occupation is described as a carpenter/general builder. However, it cannot be certain that this is the same person.
A contra-indication is that in his Royal Marine record his next of kin is listed as his father who was Herbert C Nicholls of Fern Cottage, Spilmans Road, Rodborough, Stroud.
He would appear to have enlisted into the Army at Stroud, possibly on 7 December 1915 but the detail of any service in 1916/17 is indecipherable.
Possibly he was invalided out but rejoined on 19 March 1917, before transferring to the Royal Marines at their Depot in Deal on 31 March 1917.
He remained there, presumably training, until 17 May 1917 and then joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry. He was part of a draft destined for France on 28 June 1917 and presumably, following training within the British Expeditionary Force, he joined the 1 Royal Marine Battalion on 1 August 1917, serving with them until wounded on 21 October 1917 and being treated at 149 (RN) Field Ambulance.
He was back with the battalion on 14 November 1917 and served through to 17 January 1918, when he left the line, suffering from trench foot.
On 28 February 1918 he was back with the battalion and went on Home Leave in the UK on 10 March. He returned from leave on 31 March and it would appear went into hospital (wounded or sickness) on 4 July 1918.
On 8 September he returned to the battalion and on 28 September suffered a gun shot wound to his spine. This caused him to be invalided back to the UK on 12 October and he died three days later on 15 October at Mile End Military Hospital.
The cause of death was from a contusion of the spine from the gunshot wound.
He was returned home to Rodborough for burial in the parish churchyard, where his grave is marked by a standard CWGC headstone
Researched by Graham Adams 25 October 2012