Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
James Nichol was born 1890 at Felling, Gateshead, County Durham, one of 6 children of whom only 4 survived, 3 sons and 1 daughter, born to John Nichol 1863 native of Felling and his wife Marion Brown (also listed as Mary Ann) born 1864 at Wooler, Northumberland. After their marriage, they set up home at 1, Ivy Square, Heworth, James was a hawker trading foodstuffs from a hand cart but in 1901 his wife was a widow still living at the same address and trading as a shop keeper/grocer, for her own account, from home. Marion was retired in the census of 1911, her three sons were still unmarried and living at home. William and James (20) were bootmakers, John worked at the lead works as a cooper (barrel maker).
James Nichol enlisted at South Shields December 8th 1915 and was assigned to the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion Durham Light Infantry as Private 32135, declaring he lived at 8 Laurel Street, Felling and was deployed to the Tyne Garrison at Seaham. February 7th 1916 he married his sweetheart Edith Annie Carruthers at Gateshead Registry Office, she was already carrying his child and gave birth to a daughter, Annie, June 26th 1916. Before departing with the British Expeditionary Force, he was docked 2 days' pay for overstaying his pass from midnight on the September 3rd until 10.45 a. m. on the 4th, when under orders for embarkation for active service. A small price to pay I am sure in order to say goodbye to his wife and child. The 2nd Battalion departed from Folkestone September 5th 1916 landing in France the following day and Private Nichol was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, 18th Brigade, 6th Division Durham Light Infantry, part of the Regular Army, joining them in the field on September 20th where they were engaged on the Somme in trench warfare. October 5th, he was taken to the Field Ambulance and admitted that same day for a week suffering from Eczema, a condition when the skin becomes rough and inflamed with blisters which cause itching and bleeding and again March 8th 1917 until April 26th 1917. Between April and July 1917, the 2nd and 14th Battalions D.L.I. fought the Germans in the coalfields of Lens at Hill 60 with great honour. James was wounded, exact date unknown and taken to the 33rd Casualty Clearing Station at Bethune, a hospital centre and important railway head, suffering from gunshot wounds to the abdomen, side, thigh and leg. Private 32135 James Nichol Durham Light Infantry died of his wounds May 23rd 1917 and was interred at Bethune Town Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, grave VI. E. 57. He was 26 years old.
His widow Edith Annie paid the sum of 10 shillings and 2 pence for an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, Until The Day Breaks And The Shadows Flee Away. It was not until October 25th 1917 that she received his belongings, sent to her at their home address, consisting of; disc, letters, photos, 2 pipes, rel. book, gold ring (9ct), wrist watch, teeth, pouch, wallet, knife and lighter. She received all monies due to him, was assigned a pension, as of December 3rd 1917, of 18 shillings and 9 pence a week for herself and their daughter and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
James Nichol is remembered at Heworth on H92.03
