David Scott Nichol WWI

Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment)

8th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

WW I

David Scott Nichol was born 02 January 1888 and his birth was registered in the South Dufferin Manitoba, which was the Darlingford designation at that time. His parents were Martin and Catherine (Scott) Nichol of Darlingford.

David enlisted on 06 November 1915 in Winnipeg and listed his occupation as farmer. He sailed from Canada to Liverpool on the Titanic’s sister ship the SS Olympic with his brother Walter 31 May 1916. Prior to his enlistment he had been dating Olive Johnston off Thornhill, after his death she later married his brother Walter.

In 1916, while stationed in England, he wrote a letter to Olive mentioning he still had some of last year’s wheat at his brother Tom’s farm in Saskatchewan that his brother had not yet been able to haul to market for him.

On 28 April 1917 the Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment) of the 8th Battalion, of which Private Nichol was a member, attacked Arleux over a low rise, but was hit by “heavy automatic fire from the town and the woods to the south. Their centre company lost all of its officers and was held up by barbed wire; the two flank companies managed to gain their objectives on schedule, midway between Arleus and the village of Fresnoy. Private Nichol was killed in action and the records list the location of his unit at time of casualty as “attack just north of Willerval to Arleux En Gohelle.”

A Morden Times entry dated 31 May 1917, Darlingford column, speaks of his life and service; “No more popular and energetic young man donned the King’s uniform than “Dave” Nichol, and bereaved parents, brothers and sisters have the sincere sympathy of the whole community. But we know they do not mourn as they who have no hope, as he left the assurance before enlisting that whatever took place all was well and he was prepared. A memorial service was held in the Presbyterian Church here Sunday, May 20th, when sixty members of the O.O.F. turned out to do honour to their departed brother. Thus inside of one year the three cousins David Nichol Scott, David Scott Borthwich and David Scott Nichol are laid away under the wooden crosses in France.”

David Scott Nichol is buried in France near Arras, with the Veterans Affairs listing the cemetery as the Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. He is commemorated on Page 301 of Canada’s First World War Book of Remembrance.

Information supplied by Kenneth Nichol, Library and Archives Canada, Pembina Manitou Archives, Morden Times 1917-05-31