BORN HULL 12/02/1899. SON OF JOHN EDWARD NICHOLSON & JANE LOUISA HILLIER (1875-1950), OF 12 BENVISTAS AVENUE, WOODCOCK STREET, HULL (1911 CENSUS) AND 7 KINBERLEY STREET, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). SON OF A RAILWAY RULLEYMAN. HE HAD TWO BROTHERS AND THREE SISTERS. WORKED AS A RAILWAT PORTER. DESCRIBED AS 5 FOOT, 3 INCHES TALL, 35 INCH CHEST, DARK BROWN HAIR, BLUE EYES, “FAIR” COMPLEXION, VERY GOOD CHARACTER.
ENLISTED ON 27/06/1917. SERVED AS A ROYAL NAVY STOKER, 2ND CLASS. LOST AT SEA, AGED 17, ON 12/01/1918, AGED 17. HE IS COMMEMORATED AT PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL.
HMS Narborough, a British M Class Destroyer. and HMS Opal were in company off Scapa Flow on January 12th, 1918, when both were wrecked when they ran aground in a violent gale and snowstorm. The vessels, which were sister ships, each carried an official complement of 80. Only one survivor from both vessel occurred. 188 killed. Most of the casualties were never found and are commemorated on the Portsmouth Memorial.
