William George NELSON

William George NELSON (1887-1949) was born in the Shoalhaven to Richard John NELSON and Helen Mary DUNCOMBE (Ellen) and the older brother on Oswald Mathias NELSON. He came to live at Tomerong probably before he turned 13 and was in New Zealand when he attended a NZ Army medical in May 1915. His two older brothers, Herbert and Arthur, had married in Timaru (South Island) and Taranaki (North Island) in 1909.

Aged 28, William joined the Divisional Ammunition Column of the New Zealand Field Artillery as a Driver in August 1915, ten days after his brother Oswald had enlisted in Sydney. He stated he was a single farmer of and had last resided with his brother A H Nelson of Stratford, near Mount Taranaki on the central west coast of the North Island. His last employment had been as a store assistant at Loburn, near Rangiora north of Christchurch on the South Island. He had been rejected for service previously for being ‘too heavy’. After training William embarked on a New Zealand Transport Ship in Wellington on 9 October 1915 and would not see New Zealand again for almost four years. He arrived and disembarked in Suez on 18 November 1915. It appears most likely that William travelled to Egypt in the same convoy, but a different ship, that carried his brother Oswald. They may have met in Egypt.

In March 1916 the NZ Division was responsible for the defence of part of the Suez Canal before it moved to France. William was a Driver but the Divisional Ammunition Column, that supplied the artillery, also consisted of Farriers, Shoeing Smiths, Saddlers, Wheelers and Gunners. The Division moved to the Somme in June 1916 and then to Belgium the following year. They would take part in the Battle of Messines Ridge in which Frederick LANGLANDS would be killed on the first day of his first battle. Further battles would follow at Passchendaele and Polygon Wood. He spent time in a London hospital with general debility in early 1919.

He was discharged from the Field Artillery on 10 December 1919 and his intended address was stated at Kohuratahi, 50km north east of Stratford. William died on 10 November 1949, aged 62, in Stratford. William Nelson’s service is commemorated on the Nowra Showground Memorial Gates, the Nowra Post Office Shoalhaven Honour Roll and the Auckland Museum Nominal Roll.

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Back to People of Tomerong

Image

• NZ Field Artillery TP4860.
• Shoalhaven Honor Roll TP3410.
• Tomerong Anzacs TP4828.
• Origin Map TP6266.

Links

1. Tomerong Local History Web Page- tomeronghistory.com
2. Tomerong Past Facebook Album- Tomerong Past Facebook This site may provide more information relative to this family. Check the 'Families' and 'Monuments' albums and those institutions that the family contributed to e.g. 'School', 'Sawmills', 'Clyde Shire' etcetera.
3. Tomerong Anzacs TP4828- Tomerong Anzacs
4. William Nelson Wikitree- William Nelson Wikitree