Father and son lot. WWI KIA Arras 1917. Nicholson. Keighley, Yorkshire. West Riding Regiment. WWII RAF group of 4

Correctly named pair: 235084 Pte H Nicholson W Rid R

WWII medals unnamed as issued

WWI pair: Herbert Nicholson was born in June 1893 to George and Alice of 52 Damens Row, Keighley. He enlisted into the 2/5th Bn (TF) West Riding Regiment. He was serving with these during the Battle of Arras 1917. He was with “B” Company, VIII platoon.

On the 3rd of May 1917, the battalion was in trenches at Ecoust. They  were instructed to move forward to attack and capture the German front line, the Hindenburg Line west of Buttecourt. “A” Company succeeded in their task but “B” & “C” Companies came under heavy fire from artillery, rifle and machine gun fire and were held up in front of the enemy front line. They took heavy casualties with 275 wounded, 123 missing but only 2 men killed, NCO’s and men.

The 3rd of May is the presumed and accepted date of death for Herbert. The Battle of Arras 9/4/1917-16/5/1917 took 158,000 allied casualties with between 120,-130,000 enemy casualties.

Herbert was married to Louis and were living at 13 Nelson Street, East Terrace, Lees near Keighley, Yorkshire. They had a son, Bernard, born in September 1915.

Herbert has no known grave and is remembered with honour on the Arras Memorial.

WWII Medals: All unnamed as issued, they come with the transmittal box and award slip. Although the First name is missing, through research, we find that there are four Bernard Nicholson’s that served with the Royal Air Force. We are unable to determine the correct man. Their service numbers are as follows:

1115884, 1005677, 1416429, 1689380

All the men enlisted between 1940 and 1941.

In 1939, we see Bernard living with his mother Louis still at 13 Nelson Street. He is working as a Cooperative Society secretary.

The transmittal box is addressed to Hebden Road, Howarth, Keighley.

All medals have original (though a bit dirty) silk ribbons. The WWI pair look as though they havent been out of the box, the WWII medals also have relevant age and patina.