Private Gordon Bertram Nixon (2748)
Profile picture of Private Gordon Bertram Nixon (RSL Virtual War Memorial, 2017).
Gordon Bertram Nixon was born 20th December, 1896 in Norwood, Adelaide, South Australia; while little is recorded of his father, his mother’s name was Mary. As a young man he worked as a rubber worker where he made parts for shoes and the automotive industry; it was at this time he married his first wife (also named Mary), and they had a daughter (RSL Virtual War Memorial, 2017). Gordon enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces in Keswick, South Australia on 26th July 1915, at the age of 18 and 7 months. He was assigned the service number 2748 and was originally attached to the 3rd Battalion and later transferred to the 10th Battalion (RSL Virtual War Memorial, 2017). His enlistment papers describe him as 6 feet 2 inches with blue eyes and brown hair.
Gordon completed several weeks of basic training at Keswick Barracks. However, during his training it was reported that Gordon went AWL (absent without leave) but received little reprimand for his discretion. However, the second time he was AWL he was fined £1 (RSL Virtual War Memorial, 2017). It would seem that Gordon still did not learn his lesson, as he later ran away for a third and even a fourth time with a mate; they were missing for 5 hours and both were later fined £10. Interestingly, being fined £11 was not enough of a deterrent to stop Gordon as he ran away a further time. Despite Gordon’s being absent without leave five times, he always returned and was brave enough to face the consequences; he went on to bravely serve his country (Trove, 2017).
His first posting was in France, and after arriving at Pozieres, Gordon fought on the front lines for several days before receiving a gunshot wound to the thigh and knee. He was admitted to the nearest field hospital on the 20th March 1917. After spending considerable time recuperating from his wounds he went on to serve a further two years on the front lines. Prior to his return home his mother Mrs Nixon, received the following correspondence informing her of his return: ‘Dear Madam, I am in receipt of cable advice to the effect that no. 2748 Private G.B. Nixon, 10th Battalion, is returning to Australia and is due in Adelaide about the end of March 1917. It is regretted that the movements or name of the transport on which is he is arriving cannot be disclosed. It is to be noted that owing to possible mutilations in the cabled advice and other causes this notification may not be correct pending verification from the roll on arrival of the troop ship.’
For his service Gordon was awarded the British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Star Medal (National Archives of Australia, 2017). At the time of his return to Adelaide Gordon was still quite young (20 years old); his first marriage to Mary ended and he went on to marry Bridget Catherine, they had twelve children, and settled in the suburb of Enfield. After a happy marriage to Bridget and a proud father to their twelve children, Gordon died from natural causes at the age of 87 on March 10, 1984. He is buried at Enfield Cemetery, South Australia.
Enfield cemetery, South Australia. Place of burial of Gordon Bertram Nixon.
RSL Virtual War Memorial (2017)
Reference List
National Archives of Australia (2017) Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8003037 [Accessed 21 September 2017].
RSL Virtual War Memorial (2017) Gordon Bertram NIXON. Available at: https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/313409 [Accessed 20 September 2017].
Trove (2017) Cadets Fined. – Non-Attendance at Drills. - The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1889 - 1931) - 3 Apr 1913. Available at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5389887 [Accessed 21 September 2017].