James Nicholson
| Rank | Lieutenant |  |
| Medals | 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal | |
| Regiment | Royal Air Force, 20th Squadron | |
| Military Service | 1914 Enlisted in 5 Battalion Cameronians on 10 August as 7090 private and went to France in November. 1916 Invalided home in December with dysentery. 1917 Joined the Royal Flying Corps in June as a cadet. He probable did his basic training at No 2 School of Aeronautics, Oxford between 20 July and 20 September. On 30 August he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and in late September he went to Egypt for flying training as a result of which he was appointed Flying Officer on 26 December. 1918 By March Nicolson had finished training and was sent to RFC Base Depot. It is difficult to interpret his service record at this point and work out what happened in the next few months but on 18 August he was posted to 20 Squadron RAF, a fighter reconnaissance squadron, in France. | |
| Born | c1898 Glasgow | |
| Death | 23rd September 1918 | |
| Circumstances of Death | Nicolson and his observer BW Wilson were killed in action when Bristol F2b Serial Number E2562 was shot down in combat near Villers Outreux, south of Cambrai. Hillhead High School Roll of Honour states that on a patrol over enemy lines with another five aircraft they were attacked by German planes and had to retreat. Nicolson and his observer noticed one of their planes, with a new pilot, was in difficulty. They turned back to assist and that plane reached safety but Nicolson’s plane was shot down and crashed. | |
| Age | 20 | |
| Memorial | Arras Flying Services Memorial | |
| CWGC Information | Son of James Nicolson, of 22, Viewmount Drive, Maryhill, Glasgow, and the late Martha Kerr Nicolson | |
| Parents | James Nicolson (c1871-) & Martha Kerr (c1872-1903) | |
| Father's Occupation | Works manager, Kent Rubber and Leather Works of 36 Leyden Street, Maryhill | |
| Siblings | Isabella (c1900-) | |
| Spouse | unmarried | |
| Education | Hillhead High School | |
| Occupation | Seems to have worked at the Kent Rubber and Leather Works like his father | |
| 1901 Census | 338 Gairbraid Street, Maryhill, Glasgow | |
| 1911 Census | 22 Viewmount Drive, Maryhill, Glasgow | |
| Glasgow Necropolis | Compartment Eta Lair 204 | |
| Other Memorials | Scottish National War Memorial | |
| Other Information | According to the Hillhead High School War Memorial Volume he was a patrol leader in the 82nd (Maryhill) Boy Scouts. He seems to have been good with his hands particularly in woodcarving. | |
| Acknowledgements and Sources | Much of the information on which this profile is based is drawn from various internet sources which are listed below. The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis also wish to make full acknowledgement and thanks for the permitted use of any information or images generously supplied specifically for exhibition, publication or display in connection with The Roll of Honour and accompanying profiles to Hillhead High School War Memorial Trust, Glasgow, Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk), Findmypast (www.findmypast.co.uk), Commonwealth War Graves Commission – www.cwgc.org Family Search – www.familysearch.org The Long, Long Trail – http://www.1914-1918.net/ Scotlands People – www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk The Scottish War Memorials Project – www.warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com Henshaw, T. The sky their battlefield. Air fighting and the complete list of Allied air casualties from enemy action in the First World War: Grub Street Publishers, 1995 | |
Gallery
Credits
Compiled by Morag Fyfe, Historical and Genealogical Researcher for The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis.
