Captain R. K. Nicol MC

Captain Robert Kenneth Nicol M.C.

1896-1918

This page is dedicated by Mr. Jack Nicol to the memory of his uncle Robert Kenneth Nicol, killed in action whilst covering the evacuation of Assyrian and Armenian refugees from Persia.

Contributers to this page, with thanks; Mr Shaun Aumua and Ms Christine Liava'a

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Robert Kenneth Nicol was born on the 27th Oct 1896 in Wellington New Zealand, of parents William Nicol and mother Eva Mary Nicol [nee Petherick]. He attended Island Bay School and later Petone District High School where he gained a scholarship in 1908. At the outbreak of World War One, Robert, eager to serve his country enlisted in the Army on the 15th of March 1915. He quickly rose through the ranks and made Sergeant on the 30 th Oct 1915, eight months later was promoted to Warrant Officer 2 and by Oct 1916 he received his commission as second Lieutenant serving in the second Wellington battalion. Serving in France he won the Military Cross and received shrapnel wound in his right thigh and was consequently hospitalized on the 4 th Oct 1917. After discharge from Hospital he was seconded to Dunsterforce with a temporary rank of Captain.

His service in Dunsterforce is well covered in the Captain Savige pages on this website, I have however included below the circumstances surrounding his loss from a court of inquiry held in Bijar, Persia. I personally like to add for the Assyrians reading this page, to think of the exodus from Urmia, think of the refugees fleeing the barbaric enemy, think of the members of our families that perished in that exodus and finally think of Robert Kenneth Nicol, a 23 year old soldier half a world away from home, fighting to defend our kin.

Captain Robert Kenneth Nicol was killed covering the fleeing Assyrian refugees, for this un-selfish act of gallantry we as Assyrians should never forget his name.

Gabriel kiwarkis

Court of inquiry assembled at Bijar at 3.30 PM on the 1/7/18,

to inquire into the circumstances under which Captain R.K. Nicol M.C. is missing.

Statement by Captain Stanley Savige, 24^th Battalion AIF, states;

On the morning of 5^th August, Captain Nicol was with me when we were attacked by Kurds and Turks. He was superintending two Lewis guns in action for about half an hour, after we left the village of Chalkainan. He said he thought we had better go back to see to some of the ammunition and Kit that was being loaded by three Sergeants, who had orders to move out of the village as quickly as possible. I told him it was unnecessary for him to go back, but to come with me and post one Lewis Gun on the flank of a wood some 500 yards behind, while I took another gun to the other side. I moved on to the wood, posted one Gun and moved over to where Captain Nicol should then have been. He was not there, and I was informed he had returned to the village. About ten minutes later Sergeant Murphy rode along and reported some of the mules had been shot and the rest had stampeded, and Captain Nicol had gone back on foot to the village. He said that two horses had been sent back for him; but they had not been able to get him out. I then ordered Sergeant Cameron to take a horse and at any cost to get Captain Nicol out. He returned 15 minutes later saying it was impossible to get through the enemy between us and the village. I saw it was useless the few we had trying to get back to where he was, and knowing the place was deserted, hoped he would find cover till nightfall when he could make his way back to the camp.

17642 Sergeant B.T. Murphy, 28^th Battalion AIF states;

On the morning of the 5^th August, I was in the village where we had spent the night and covered the retirement of our mules and our Kit. Captain Nicol had left earlier with captain Savige. As we were crossing the opening to a knoll on the right of the village, the Kurds opened a heavy fire killing some of the mules; the rest threw the kits and ammunition and bolted. Sergeant Nimmo and I got to the Knoll and drove off the enemy with Lewis Gun fire. Captain Nicol said he would go back and collect and bring in the ammunition and kits mules which the twelve “Jelus” [Assyrian tribesmen] with us had caught. He did not I think realise there were so many Kurds in front of us, as my fire had driven them into cover of the village. Captain Nicol and Sergeant Nimmo got up close to the kit, but the heavy fire then opened on them, again stampeded the mules. Captain Nicol had gone up on foot; he and Sergeant Nimmo took cover; then sergeant Nimmo started to come back leaving his rifle with Captain Nicol, bringing Lewis Gun box and spare parts on his shoulder. I sent him back with two ponies, my own and Captain Nicol’s, to bring captain Nicol back, while I kept off the Kurds who were very threatening on both flanks, I saw Captain Nicol rise to go to his pony, but after a few steps he fell, in my opinion as if shot and not as if taking cover, the ponies were frightened by the bullets and tried to go forward and they broke away. The enemy some 500 to 600 strong were now right round our both flanks and even in the rear, where Captain Savige was keeping them off with Lewis Gun fire. My horse had gone and when I got behind a Jelo [Assyrian] the horse collapsed, so I mounted an un-saddled horse and got away under heavy fire, when the enemy mounted the knoll and fired at us.

34906 Sergeant A Nimmo 3^rd, OIB NZEF states;

On the morning of the 5^th of August, I was with sergeant Murphy on a knoll on the right of the village where we had spent the night. Our kits and spare ammunition had been thrown off the mules about 400 yards from the knoll when the Kurds fired on, and stampeded our mules as we were coming across, Captain Nicol came up to us on the knoll and said he was going back for it. We took some of the recaptured mules up, but they broke away under the heavy fire. Captain Nicol sent me on for the Lewis Gun spare part box and ammunition which was some 70 yards further on. I could not remount so walked back to the knoll with it. I passed Captain Nicol going forward, he said give me your rifle and bandolier and I will cover you. I got back to the knoll and rode back with my pony to captain Nicol to bring him in. Halfway I saw I would be cut off by the Kurds which Sergeant Murphy could see. I returned to help him drive them off and help him with the Gun. The Kurds were then all around, and even behind us, and we were obliged to retire under the cover of Captain Savige’s Gun. I did not see Captain Nicol when I went forward the second time. The ground was broken; the fire was very heavy.

24^th/2/1919 Capt JH Sorrell, 45^th Australian Infantry stated;

I was in a small party moving from Hamadan towards Lake Elrimia [Urmia] last August to assist Armenians and Assyrians in North-West Persia. Ahead of us was a smaller party in which was Lieut. R.K. Nicol whom I had known for a year. I heard from the men of his party that while they were covering the retreat of some 100,000 Armenians and Syrians [Assyrians] who were being driven out of their country by Kurds and Turks, he lost his horse after going back to fetch something. He was seen to fall, apparently shot in the back and he is believed to be killed. I heard all this a few days after the event from Nicol’s party who had come back about 50 miles from Sain-Kala, N.W, Persia where this occurred.

From the London Gazette 9 January 1918.

Citation; Military Cross

Robert Kenneth Nicol, 2^nd Lieutenant, Wellington Regiment, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When in charge of Stokes Mortars in defence of a captured village, one of his two Guns was destroyed, so he handed the other on to his corporal and joined the company which was in the village. Here he displayed magnificent gallantry and the utmost fearlessness in assisting the company commander, personally leading a bombing party against an enemy attack, and accounting for six of the enemy himself in the desperate hand to hand fighting which ensued. His prompt action and leadership saved the situation.