The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Nicholas
First Name:
William John
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX10809
Company:
‘B’ Company
Enlisted:
15.01.1941
Discharged:
13.02.1946
DOB:
3.08.1919
Place of Birth:
Goomalling, Western Australia
Father's Name:
Evan Hamelin Nicholas
Mothers's Name:
Maud Cecilia Nicholas (nee Savage)
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Pre-war Occupation:
Engineering Student and Clerk
Singapore:
Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
Force:
‘ D ’ Force Thailand, W.O.II John Dooley Party
Camps Thailand:
Tarsau, Kanchanaburi
Return Details 1945:
Saigon-Bangkok‐Singapore by aircraft; Singapore-Labuan-Morotai-Darwin-Perth by aircraft

General Description

Soldier wounded in action Pasir Panjang on 14/2/1942 and admitted to 2/9th Field Ambulance with  bayonet wound to his left leg and torso.  Admitted to 2/13th Australian General Hospital on 16/2/1942.  Discharged to unit on 22/2/1942.
Possibly member of ‘T’ Battalion.
Please read further about ‘T’ Battalion
Nicholas was with W.O. Dooley Party
Soldier recovered from Saigon.  Part of ‘Both’ Party.
Read further about Both Party, Saigon

 

LABUAN, BORNEO 1945-09-24. GROUP OF AUSTRALIAN EX PRISONERS OF WAR WHO ARRIVED AT LABUAN AIRSTRIP FROM SINGAPORE WITH MAJOR GENERAL CALLAGHAN, GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING 8TH DIVISION. LEFT TO RIGHT, BACK ROW : QX16805 DRIVER K. C. HAWES, 2/3RD MOTOR TRANSPORT COMPANY; WX10809 PRIVATE W. J. NICHOLAS, 2/4TH MACHINE GUN BATTALION; WX6506 PRIVATE J. E. FRASER, 2/4TH MACHINE GUN BATTALION; WX2995 PRIVATE D. R. STUART, 2/3RD MACHINE GUN BATTALION; SX14921 DRIVER L. L. CHAPMAN 2/2N RESERVE MOTOR TRANSPORT COMPANY; FRONT ROW: VX39088 SERGEANT A. F. SHEPHARD 2/29TH BATTALION; VX48213 CORPORAL H. R. RYAN 2/29TH BATTALION AND WX8813 PRIVATE T. JACKSON 2/4TH MACHINE GUN BATTALION.(PHOTOGRAPHER LT A. W. HORNER)
LABUAN, BORNEO 1945-09-24. GROUP OF AUSTRALIAN EX PRISONERS OF WAR WHO ARRIVED AT LABUAN AIRSTRIP FROM SINGAPORE WITH MAJOR GENERAL CALLAGHAN, GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING 8TH DIVISION. LEFT TO RIGHT, BACK ROW : QX16805 DRIVER K. C. HAWES, 2/3RD MOTOR TRANSPORT COMPANY; WX10809 PRIVATE W. J. NICHOLAS, 2/4TH MACHINE GUN BATTALION; WX6506 PRIVATE J. E. FRASER, 2/4TH MACHINE GUN BATTALION; WX2995 PRIVATE D. R. STUART, 2/3RD MACHINE GUN BATTALION; SX14921 DRIVER L. L. CHAPMAN 2/2N RESERVE MOTOR TRANSPORT COMPANY; FRONT ROW: VX39088 SERGEANT A. F. SHEPHARD 2/29TH BATTALION; VX48213 CORPORAL H. R. RYAN 2/29TH BATTALION AND WX8813 PRIVATE T. JACKSON 2/4TH MACHINE GUN BATTALION.(PHOTOGRAPHER LT A. W. HORNER)

 

William John Nicholas was born Goomalling 1919.  His parents Evan Hamelin Nicholas and Maud Cecilia Savage married in 1916.

 

Maude’s sister hosts event.

Maude’s mother died in 1944.

 

Nicholas died Victoria in 1989.

Unfortunately we know little else of his life after the war.

Camp Locations:

  • Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
  • Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
  • Kanchanaburi, 50k - Thailand
  • Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
  • Saigon - French Indo China
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