Army
Gilbert Charles Swain
Rank: Private
Regiment: 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
Parents: Mr George & Mrs E Swain
Brother: Fredrick Stewart Swain & G Swain
Address: 9 Emmanuel Road, Hastings
Other Info: Active Service
Published: December 1914
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.
Army
Fredrick Stewart Swain
Rank: Private
Regiment: 1st King’s Royal Rifle Corps
Parents: Mr George & Mrs E Swain
Brother: Gilbert Charles Swain & G Swain
Address: 9 Emmanuel Road, Hastings
Other Info: Killed in action aged 23 on October 26th 1914. He is remembered at the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial on panel 51 and 53.
Published: December 1914
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.
Army
Harry Ben Le Despencer Tree
Rank: Captain
Regiment: 112th Infantry, Indian Army
Parents: Mr Philip H & Mrs Tree
Brothers-in-Law: Charles Alexander Jacomb Nicholl, Reginald Eycott Nicholl & Frederick Alan Benson Nicholl
Address: Leckhampton, St Leonards
Other Info: Signalling Officer, Imperial Service Brigade, Egypt. Son-in-Law of the Rev C & Mrs Nicholl, St Leonards. Additional information from ‘Alumini Cantabrigienses’: Mentioned twice in despatches; Order of the Nile 4th Class.
Published: December 1914
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.
Navy
Reginald Eycott Nicholl
Rank: Sub Lieutenant
Regiment: Royal Navy Air Service
Parents: Rev. & Mrs C Nicholl
Brothers: Frederick Alan Benson Nicholl & Charles Alexander Jacomb Nicholl
Brother-in-Law: Harry Ben Le Despencer Tree
Address: 10 Charles Road, St Leonards
Additional Info:
29/1/1896 – Born St Leonards, Hastings, East Sussex. Son of Rev Charles Alfred Samuel and Henrietta Catherine (née Jacomb) Nicoll
Brother of Lieutenant Charles A J Nicoll, Royal Indian Marines and Lieutenant Frederick A B Nicoll, 3rd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment
1901 census – 10 Charles Road, StreetLeonards, Hastings [(as Reginal E Nicholl)]
1911 census – Student: Sait Edward’s School, Woodstock Road, Summerville, Oxford
7/9/1914 – Confirmed as rank of Flight Sub-Lieutenant following probationary period
21/10/1914 – Qualified for Aviators certificate flying a Maurice Farmn Biplane at Central Flying School, Upavon (as Flight Sub- Lieutenant , Royal Naval Air Service)
28/7/1916 – Promoted from Flight Lieutenant to Flight Commander
31/12/1917 – Promoted from Flight Commander to Squadron Commander
29/10/1920 – Granted short term commissionn as Flight Lieutenant from Squadron Leader
11/5/1925 – Royal Air Force: 10 Charles Road, StreetLeonards, Hastings
11/5/1925 – Disembarked SS Khyber at London from Port Said
15/10/1925 – Transferred to Reserve, Class C
6/11/1926 – Married Eva Delahunty at 34 Sorauren Avenue, York, Ontario, Canada
15/10/1929 – Relinquished commission on completion of service
4/4/1986 – Died at Grayshott Nursing Home, Boundary Road, Grayshott, Hindhead, Surrey
Thank you to Rae Taylor for this information.
Published: December 1914
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.
Navy
Charles Alexander Jacomb Nicholl
Rank: Sub Lieutenant
Regiment: Royal Indian Marines
Ship: RIMS Dalhousie
Parents: Rev. & Mrs C Nicholl
Brothers: Frederick Alan Benson Nicholl & Reginald Eycott Nicholl
Brother-in-Law: Harry Ben Le Despencer Tree
Address: 10 Charles Road, St Leonards
Other Info: Serving with the Royal Navy
23/5/1889 – Born StreetLeonards, Hastings, East Sussex. Son of Rev Charles Alfred Samuel and Henrietta Catherine (née Jacomb) Nicoll
Brother of Lieutenant Frederick A B Nicoll, 3rd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment and Reginald E Nicoll, Royal Naval Air Service
1891 census – 10 Charles Road, StreetLeonards, Hastings
1901 census – 10 Charles Road, StreetLeonards, Hastings [(as Charles J Nicholl)]
20/7/1909 – Qualified to fulfil the duties of second mate of a foreign going ship
25/2/1915 – Appointed Lieutenant in the Royal Indian Marine
24/8/1916 – Mentioned in Despatches by Lieutenant General p lake, Commanding, Indian Expeditionary Force “D”
11/8/1917 – Awarded Distinguished Service Cross
May 1918 – Gazetted Lieutenant in Royal Indian Marines
15/4/1918 – Mentioned in Despatches by Lieutenant General W R Marshall, Commander-in-Chief, Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force
8/11/1918 – Promoted to Lieutenant
11/11/1918 – Mentioned in Despatches by Lieutenant General W R Marshall, Commander-in-Chief, Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force
Jul-Sep 1919 – Married Olive Laura Grant in Bedford
23/7/1920 – Awarded Companion of the Most eminent Order of the Star of India for meritorious services during the Kuki operations (Assam and Burma)
29/7/1920 – Birth of son, Charles Alexander Jacomb Nicoll in Bedfordshire
c.1922 – Birth of daughter Olive D Nicoll
22/9/1923 – Lieutenant Commander: 21 Charles Road, StreetLeonards, Hastings
22/9/1923 – Embarked SS Sardinia at London for Aden, Yemen
3/8/1924 – To be temporary Commander without pay from Lieutenant Commander while commanding RMIS Minto
21/5/1926 – Disembarked SS Narkunda at London from Bombay, India (accompanied by wife, Laura Olive Nicoll; son,Charles A Nicoll and daughter Olive D Nicoll
14/5/1927 – Birth of son, Michael John Jacomb Nicoll at Rye, Sussex
1930 – Birth of son, Peter Raymond Nicoll in Fulham, London
3/8/1924 – To be temporary Commander with pay
23/7/1928 – To be temporary Commander without pay while officiating as Deputy Conservator of Port, Madras
19/5/1932 – To be temporary Commander with pay
21/10/1932 – Promoted Commander from Lieutenant Commander (temporary Commander)
1936 to 1937 – 153 Shooter’s Hill Road, Greenwich
1/6/1937 – To be temporary Captain (without pay) from Commander while officiating as Captain Superintendant of His Majesties Indian Naval Dockyard, Bombay
15/1/1938 – Promoted to Captain from Commander (temporary Captain)
1938 – 36 Glenshiel Road, Woolwich London SE9
29/1/1960 – Flat 1, 21 Magdelen Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex
29/1/1960 – Died at Battle, Sussex
Thank you to Rae Taylor for this information.
Published: December 1914
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.
Army
Frederick Alan Benson Nicholl
Rank: Lieutenant
Regiment: 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
Parents: Rev. & Mrs C Nicholl
Brothers: Charles Alexander Jacomb Nicholl & Reginald Eycott Nicholl
Brother-in-Law: Harry Ben Le Despencer Tree
Address: 10 Charles Road, St Leonards
Other Info: At the Front
4/8/1883 – Born Midhurst, Hastings, East Sussex. Son of Rev Charles Alfred Samuel and Henrietta Catherine (née Jacomb) Nicoll
Brother of Lieutenant Charles J Nicoll, Royal Indian Marines and Reginald E Nicoll, Royal Naval Air Service
1891 census – 10 Charles Road, StreetLeonards, Hastings
1912 – Home on leave for [sister’s] wedding
28/7/1914 – Uganda Police: British East Africa
28/7/1914 – Disembarked SS Mombasa in London from Mombasa, Kenya
4/9/1914 – To be 2nd Lieutenant (on probation)
8/1/1915 – To be temporary Captain from Lieutenant
2/2/1915 – Promoted from Lieutenant to Captain
24/9/1917 – To be seconded as assistant Provost Marshal
Oct-Dec 1918 – Married Katherine V Tooth at Hastings, Sussex
13/11/1918 – Police: 10 Charles Road, StreetLeonards, Hastings
14/3/1919 – Mentioned in Despatches by Field Marshal D Haig, Commander-in-Chief, The British Armies in France
31/3/1919 – Appointed Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal (Cl FF)
3/6/1919 – To be Officer of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE)
8/1/1920 – Appointed Assistant Provost Marshal (cl.BB) from Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal (Cl FF)
c.1920 – Birth of daughter Miss M Nicoll
c.1921 – Birth of daughter Miss P Nicoll
8/1/1920 – Appointed Assistant Provost Marshal (Cl. BB) from a Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal (Cl. FF) and to be temporary Major while so employed
16/1/1921 – Appointed Assistant Provost Marshal (Cl. BB) and relinquished rank of Major to return to Captain
6/2/1921 – Promoted from Captain to Major
1/7/1921 – Promoted to Major (seniority from 24/6/1920)
13/11/1924 – Embarked SS Norman at London for Mombasa (with family inteding to emigrate to south Africa, recorded with rank of Major)
c.1926 – Birth of son, Christopher Nicoll
16/2/1928 – Colonian Service: Uganda (recorded with rank of Major)
16/2/1928 – Disembarked SS Matiana in London from Beira, Mozambique (destination Riverway, Shiplake-on-Thames, Oxfordshire)
4/8/1933 – Ceases to belong to Reserve of Officers having reached the age limit of liability to recall
1/1/1934 – Awarded Kings Police Medal for distinguished service
27/7/1934 – Disembarked SS Malda in London from Daar-es-Salaam, Tanganyika, (with wife, Kathleen Nicoll, and son, Christopher Nicoll)
29/4/1938- Commissioner of Police: Tanganyika
29/4/1938 – Disembarked SS Umalda in London from Mombasa, Kenya (destination Junior Naval & Military Club, London W1)
3/1/1939 – Awarded Venerable Order of the Hospital of StreetJohn of Jerusalem as a serving brother
4/8/1941 – To be 2nd Lieutenant in Army Cadet Force
15/9/1957 – Died at Hastings, Sussex
Thank you to Rae Taylor for this information.
Published: December 1914
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.
Navy
Edward Arthur Vinall
Rank: Able Seaman
Ship: HMS Good Hope
Wife: Mrs Agnes Vinall
Address: 2 Carisbrooke Road, St Leonards
Other Info: Edward died aged 27 on 1st November 1914 when HMS Good Hope was sunk during the Battle of Coronel with the loss of all hands, totalling 919 men. He is remembered at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel 2. CWGC has Mrs Vinall living at Knockalton, Quarry Hill, St Leonards
Published: December 1914
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.
Navy
George Albert Rummery
Rank: 2nd Class Ship’s Corporal
Ship: HMS Bulwark
Parents: Mr William & Mrs Sarah Rummery
Address: Woodsdale Cottage, Battle Road, Mountfield
Other Info: He died aged 31, along with over 750 other seamen, when HMS Bulwark exploded due to an internal explosion on 26th November 1914. George is remembered at All Saints Church in Mountfield, East Sussex.
Published: December 1914
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.
Army
Thomas Henry Relfe
Rank: Rifleman
Regiment: Rifle Brigade
Parents: Mr Thomas & Mrs Rachel Relfe
Address: 28 Windsor Road, Silverhill
Other Info: Killed in action on 1st December 1914. Thomas was aged 20 when he died and is remembered at Le Touret Memorial on panel 44.
Published: December 1914
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.
Army
Francis Albert Martin
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment: Royal East Kent Regiment (The Buffs)
Parents: Mr W & Mrs Jane Martin
Address: Gamekeepers Lodge, Brede, Sussex
Other Info: As of December 1914 missing since the Battle of the Aisne in October 1914. According to CWGC, Francis died aged 23 on 20th October 1914. He is remembered at Ploegsteert Memorial on panel 2.
Published: December 1914
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.