On 11th September 1916, a letter was sent from Joseph’s mother asking if the army could send any word of where her son’s whereabouts as he had been reported missing since the 20th July. What followed was a series of letters back and forth from authorities; in the first letter dated 18th September, they acknowledged her letter but said they had no further information on his whereabouts, a second letter dated, 26th January, 1917 said they still had no further information. Finally, on 7th September, 1917 they replied to her Red Cross letter informing her that they would investigate the matter further and once they heard from London headquarters they would contact her immediately (National Archives of Australia, 2017).

Whilst awaiting the army’s investigation into her son’s whereabouts, a letter was received from the Red Cross stating that his name had appeared on the German ‘death list’ and they concluded that he was no longer alive. She did not receive any further correspondence from them until June 24th, 1917. In June 1917 the letter stated that Joseph had been hit by a shell while fighting in the trenches in ‘no man’s’ land and he had suffered a severe concussion, which killed him instantly (National Archives of Australia, 2017). It concluded that he was buried at Fleurbaix (Pheasant Wood) in France, a military cemetery (National Archives of Australia, 2017). In acknowledgement of his service during the war, Private Nevill was awarded the Victory Medal, his name recorded on a memorial plaque and scroll. He was also awarded the British War Medal and the 1914-1915 Star; the medal awarded to all those who fought in the early years of the war (National Archives of Australia, 2017).