Private David Roy (Dick) Nicol letters to his sister Eva Nicol, 1915-1921

MLMSS 9707

fonds

1915-1921

1337266

0.04 metres of textual material (1 box)

Private David Roy (Dick) Nicol (1893-1964) enlisted in the 13th Battalion, 4th Brigade in July 1915 at the age of 21. In 1916 he was transferred to the 45th Battalion, 12th Brigade and served in France and Belgium as a driver. The following year he was recommended for the Military Medal for bravery and devotion to duty while under shell fire.

Reference:
Australian War Memorial. http://awm.gov.au/ (accessed 2 September 2015)

By descent from David Roy Nicol to donor

Collection comprises 66 letters written by Dick Nicol to his sister Eva in Narellan, whilst he was overseas serving in the First World War, 1915-1919.

Folder 1
1915
7 letters sent from Zeitoun Camp, Egypt, 1915. Subjects include: recovery from illness; tobacco sent back to Liverpool Depot; distribution of photograph portraits to friends and family; voyage to Port Suez and train to Zeitoun, via Adelaide; winter weather in Egypt; desire to enter battle against Turks; day off spent in Cairo; receipt of and circulation of Australian newspapers; allowance received by mother of Nicol; receipt of tin of fairy cakes from Dorrie; picture show in camp called the Tivoli; high number of men known from Australia in c visit from Bert Underwood; music and boxing shows in c 15 mile route march each Monday morning; daily routine, breakfast, and drills; lack of funds and tobacco; trench digging competition and football competition; death of Basil Williamson killed in action; picket work in Cairo; sister Eva forming Red Cross Branch in Narellan; Christmas dinner that included a billy and cigarettes and cigars from the Australian comfort funds; birthday spent at the Pyramids.

Folder 2
1916
17 letters sent from Zeitoun Camp, Moascar Camp, Tel-el-kebir, and Ishmaili, Egypt, and France, and Belgium, 1916. Subjects include: New Year’s celebrations in the c marching through sand 18 inches deep; newspapers, cigarettes, chocolate, and Christmas cards received from Mary Hickey and Dorrie; French people and gardens at Ishmaili; lack of soldiers from Campbelltown in the 13th Brigade; off duty due to bout of influenza; spending most of spare time with others from Campbelltown and Camden; waterside sports carnival; receiving 1/- a day for driving; usually having 10 to 12 letters at a time to answer; driving the mules; receiving 20 letters in one week; wish to visit England before returning to Australia; anticipating arrival of enlisted friends from home; weight lost because of higher temperatures in Egypt; four days in Field Hospital due to bout of influenza; reminder to pay assurance money; Eva’s win at euchre tournament; favourable first impressions of scenery and reception in France; guns firing overhead during writing of letter; gas attacks; learning to speak French; frequent awarding of medals to Australian soldiers; request for Bengall razors, and pipes; wish to visit Aberdeen and Ireland on next ‘Blighty leave’; shock at news of death of Jack Clark; high degree of camaraderie in battalion; chilblains caused by continuous wet weather in France; whale oil issued for foot complaints.
7 envelopes with ‘4th Aust. Inf. Bgde’ postmarks, 1916-1919.

Folder 3
1917
21 letters sent from France, Belgium, and Glasgow, 1917. Subjects include: frostbite in feet; Military Medal being commonly awarded; request to cable £10 for furlough in England; being sent to transport school to be taught transport work such as shoeing; receipt of parcels from ‘Brother George’, and the ‘C.Town Peoples’; request to cable £30 for furlough in England; waking to 9 inches of snow; voting in Commonwealth election; lack of food available at eateries in London compared to Glasgow; women lining up in streets for sugar in London; London taxis heavily patronized by Australians; sightseeing in London; accommodation in Bedford Square, London; large number of Australians in Glasgow; description of rations provided for five men on active service; battles involved in in France; driving mules to take rations up to second line of defence, just out of range of machine gun and rifle fire; prediction war will last another 2 years; train trip planned to visit Loch Lomond; request for two pairs of socks for the winter; sports day at which transport section won the tug-of-war, and the prize, a barrel of beer and £2; battalion bands competition; soldiers looking forward to Christmas parcels from Campbelltown Citizens organisation; thoughts on mounted police; wish for leave; not having enough time to answer letters; receiving card of congratulations from General for bravery and devotion to duty while under shell fire; rheumatism in right arm causing lack of sleep; feeling awkward about going to Paris without a mate; many happy returns for father’s 71st birthday; death of Ted Roberts from Campbelltown; receiving Christmas rum issue.
9 envelopes addressed to Miss Nicol, “Lorneville”, Narellan, NSW Australia.
1 postcard ‘To Edna, with best love, From Dick, France 18/1/17’.
Prayer ‘Verses for Our Empire’.

Folder 4
1918
18 letters sent from Minehead Somerset, France, and Belgium, 1918. Subjects include: furlough in England; food ration tickets in England; air raids in London; hardness of army biscuits; illness and fever; receiving Australian newspapers and wishing to return to Australia and be dairy farming; difficulty writing letters without tables or chairs; shortage of pencils and paper; plans for furlough in Paris; furlough and leave no longer happening or existing; increased presence of American soldiers; concert put on by Americans; Australians and ‘Dough-Boys’ getting on well; ‘the big Advance’; working night and day with little sleep; lots of prisoners coming in; paying £22 for one ton of potatoes; five fellow drivers wounded; battalion inspected by Prime Minister W M Hughes, 15 October 1915; death of Bill Egelton; eight days leave in Paris, during which armistice signed; en route to Germany to garrison on the Rhine at Koblenz; looking forward to being billeted in Germany; cold weather causing chilblains.
17 envelopes addressed to Miss Nicol, “Lorneville”, Narellan, NSW Australia.

Folder 5
1919, 1921
3 letters from Dick Nicol to his sister Eva Nicol, sent from Codford, England, 1919-1921. Subjects include: furlough in Aberdeen and the Mitchell family; cold weather in Codford; strike action in the UK; receiving smokes and socks in parcel; high-priced smokes and socks in England; waiting for return boat trip back to Australia; twice receiving inoculation for influenza; deaths in camp from influenza; engagement of Nobby and Addie; construction of dairy on farm at Leeton.
Letter from John Charles Sydney (Archbishop of Sydney) to W Nicol, 2 June 1919.

Copyright status:: In copyright
Research & study copies allowed: Author has been deceased for more than 50 years
Rights and Restrictions Information:: No publication without prior written approval of copyright holder
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder