Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Walker's Ridge Cemetery, ANZAC | I. C. 8. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.126 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 31D GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Son of Mary Ellen Richards (formerly Nicholas), of Glen, 42, Athelstan Rd., South Camberwell, Melbourne, Australia, and the late James Nicholas.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: Auckland Mounted Rifles, N.Z.E.F. |
Mike: BEAN Auckland Regiment, 196, 572, 650, 651, 666, 668n. 691, 747, during Turkish attack of 19 May, 151-2; in Battle of Sari Bair: captures Old No. 3 Post, 568-9, (casualties) 569, at Chunuk Bair, 676-9; in Hill 60 attack, 750; strength, 29 Aug., 761n. |
| Action : Gallipoli |
The Gallipoli Campaign was fought on the Gallipoli peninsula 25th April 1915 to 9th January 1916. in a failed attempt to defeat Turkey by seizing the Dardanelles and capturing Istanbul. Ill-conceived and planned, the initial effort by the Royal Navy failed to force passage through the Dardanelles by sea power alone. It was then realised that a land force was needed to support the project by suppressing the Turkish mobile artillery batteries. By the time all was ready the Turks were well aware and well prepared. Despite amazing heroics on the day of the landings only minor beachheads were achieved and over the succeeding 8 months little progress was made. Eventually the beachheads were evacuated in a series of successful ruses.
Despite Gallipoli rightly becoming a national source of pride to Australians and New Zealanders, far more British casualties were sustained, and these days the substantial French contribution is almost forgotten.
Detail :
Real Name James Cornelius NICHOLAS. On NZ Embarkation Roll as JAMES, Lieutenant Cornelius, no. 13/278. Main Body Auckland Mounted Rifles. Lived at Opotiki [Auckland district], NZ. NOK, Mrs C. Hooper, Hamilton, NZ. NZ Birth register as 'NICHOLAS, James Cornelius'. CWGC lists Father as: the late James Nicholas. Mother's address as: 'Glen', 42 Athelstan Road, South Camberwell, Melbourne, Victoria. Some sources list unit as the 3rd (Auckland) Squadron, but the following pieces of evidence confirm unit was 4th (Waikato) Squadron: A Lt. 'Cornelius JAMES, 4th Squadron, Auckland Mounted Regiment', appears in the Killed in Action casualty list, New Zealand Herald 24 May 1915 p9, and in the casualty list in the Auckland Weekly News of 27 May 1915 p20. NOK is listed as Miss C. Hooper, of Hamilton, NZ. 'Promotion of Territorial Officer' Form lists unit as 4th 'Waikato' M.R. Embarked from New Zealand 16 Oct 1914 aboard Transport no.8. Disembarked Alexandria 3 Dec 1914.
See more at: Anzacs.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Opotiki No. 1930 E.C. | New Zealand (North Island) |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
6th March 1914 | 9th April 1914 | 5th June 1914 |
Upon his initiation in 1914, he is recorded as being a Contractor resident at Opitiki. He was only a member of the Opitiki Lodge No. 1930 in Auckland before being "Killed in action 15th June 1915."
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley