Medals from the Collection of Warwick Cary, Part 1 x15


Four: Lieutenant C. A. Nichols, Australian Imperial Force, who served with the 6th Australian Light Horse at Gallipoli, was wounded during the Second Battle of Gaza, and confirmed on the strength of the 12th Australian Light Horse at the time of their charge at Beersheba


1914-15 Star (12 LH AIF Lt Nichols) note name lacking initials; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. C. A. Nichols. A.I. F.); Defence Medal; together with a Royal Masonic Hospital Jewel 1930, silver, hallmarks for London 1950, the reverse engraved ‘Bro. C. A. Nichols No. 3547’, in its box of issue; Battersea Rotary Club Medal with ‘Past President’ top brooch bar, silver (hallmarks for Birmingham 1940) and enamel, reverse engraved ‘C. A. Nichols 1940-41’; Royal Masonic Institute for Boys 1939 Medal with ‘Steward’ top brooch bar, silver (hallmarks for London 1938) and enamel, the Great War awards later issues, nearly extremely fine (7)


£200-£300


Claude Aplin Nichols was born in 1891 in Battersea, London. Having emigrated to Australia, he attested for the 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment at Holsworthy, New South Wales, on 21 March 1915, serving as a Signaller on Regimental Headquarters before embarking for the Mediterranean Theatre on 11 June 1915. Subsequently transported from Egypt to Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, on 29 August 1915 he was taken on the strength of D Squadron, 6th Light Horse Regiment, 2nd Light Horse Brigade under Brigadier General Granville Ryrie, his draft providing reinforcements following the losses at Lone Pine. Occupying the extreme right flank of the allied position, Nichols stayed with the 2nd Brigade until his evacuation from the peninsula on the night of 19/20 December 1915. He rejoined the 12th Australian Light Horse at Maadi, Egypt in February 1916 and was promoted Signalling Corporal, January 1917.


Wounded in action (gun-shot wound to left leg, bullet through the tibia) at Aseiferiyah on 19 April 1917, during the Second Battle of Gaza, Nichols was taken to 14th Australian General Hospital and, following a period of recuperation, rejoined the 12th Light Horse on 22 September 1917 and was on the strength of the regiment at the time of their celebrated charge to take Beersheba on 31 October 1917. On this occasion, late in the afternoon, together with the 4th Light Horse Regiment, they advanced over open ground in a pure cavalry charge, getting under the Ottoman guns and capturing the town. Over 700 of the enemy were captured and, more significantly for the Australians, the vital water wells were secured intact. In achieving this, the 12th lost 24 men killed and 15 wounded.


Promoted Signalling Sergeant in November 1917, Nichols served with the 12th as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force during their Palestine campaign in late 1917, which included the Battle of Hareira and Sheria on 7 November and the drive to capture Jerusalem in December. Commissioned Second Lieutenant on 1 January 1919 and Lieutenant 1 April 1919, his post-war activities included a punitive expedition to Luxor during the Egyptian Uprising.


Nichols embarked for Australia in September 1919 and was discharged from the Australian Imperial Forces on 10 November 1919. Returning to London following his father’s death in 1920, he later served in the Home Guard during the Second World War.


Nichols’ service records reveal that he applied in 1934, via Australia House, London, for his Great War medals but the application was denied by the officer i/c base records, Melbourne, on the basis that they already been claimed by a Mr M. C. D. Cock, of Willoughby, New South Wales, on production of his Power of Attorney and not since been returned. A further application by Nichols in 1967 was approved, however, and a 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal were sent from Australia to his Walton-on-Thames address on 19 October 1967. The naming on the later issue 1914-15 Star may be noted to be unusual in placing the unit first and lacking initials.


Sold together with copied research including four large copied photographs of the recipient - childhood group standing portrait together with three older brothers; two Great War period standing portraits of the recipient in A.I.F. uniform; image of the recipient in Second War Home Guard uniform.


www.dnw.co.uk all lots are illustrated on our website and are subject to buyers’ premium at 24% (+VAT where applicable)


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194  |  Page 195  |  Page 196  |  Page 197  |  Page 198  |  Page 199  |  Page 200  |  Page 201  |  Page 202  |  Page 203  |  Page 204  |  Page 205  |  Page 206  |  Page 207  |  Page 208  |  Page 209  |  Page 210  |  Page 211  |  Page 212  |  Page 213  |  Page 214  |  Page 215  |  Page 216  |  Page 217  |  Page 218  |  Page 219  |  Page 220  |  Page 221  |  Page 222  |  Page 223  |  Page 224