delta Posted 20 October , 2006 Share Posted 20 October , 2006 Help , as ever, from Pals required. What I know: Capt G Nixon. Initially in MGC(Motors). Promoted T/Capt in Heavy Sect of MGC 12 Aug 1916. Sect comd of 4 tanks in support of NZ Div attack at Flers (20th Sep 1916). Sect comd in 12 Coy of D Bn during the battle of Cambrai. A/Maj whilst comding a coy 5 Dec 1917; relinquished 20 Dec 1917 and again on 20 Feb 1918 Relinquished on 6 Sep 1918. Possible awarded of MC Jun 1918 whilst serving with 4th Bn Tank Corps What I don't know is his Chritian name; the only G Nixon in Tank Corps (according to the MIC index) is Graeme HC Nixon commissioned Royal Scots Fusiliers– could it be him? Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 20 October , 2006 Share Posted 20 October , 2006 Stephen, I'm sure you'll know this but Dixon is mentioned several times in the monumental "The Tanks at Flers", where he also appears in a photograph. Despite several mentions, his first name is never given but only the initial "G". Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 20 October , 2006 Share Posted 20 October , 2006 There is a Graeme Nixon, M.C. 3-6-1918 in the Tank Corps. T./Capt. Graeme Nixon, Tank Corps. http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType= Did you pick his M.C. up from the Gazette or a different source? Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 20 October , 2006 Share Posted 20 October , 2006 A bolt of inspiration: On the medal card, Graeme "H C" Nixon = Graeme Nixon M C - otherwise known as a transcription "muck-up". Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 20 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 20 October , 2006 Steve, Tom I got his MC from the Tank Corps roll of honour but could not confirm the Christian name (it was just another "G") as shown in Tanks at Flers etc Thank you (once agin) for helping me on this one Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 22 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 22 March , 2008 Good news Pals. Graeme Nixon identified as follows: Capt Graeme Nixon. born Sep 1895 West Derby, Lancs, third, child, second son of Robert Nixon a schoolmaster and Annie G Nixon. 1901 Census shows the family living at 18 Radstock Rd, Liverpool. Commissioned 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers, Served at Gallipoli from 3 Nov 1915. Ten transferred to MGC (Motors). Promoted T/Capt 12 Aug 1916. Sect comd of 4 tanks in support of NZ Div attack. 14th November b 1916, lead section of six tanks from Auchonvillers to Beaucourt Station, crossing own lines and German lines to relieve Capt Mortimore and his six tanks. Section commander 1 Sect, 12 Coy of D Bn during the battle of Cambrai. Appointed A/Maj whilst comding a coy 5 Dec 1917; relinquished 20 Dec 1917 and again on 20 Feb 1918; relinquished on 6 Sep 1918 and again on 11 Jul 1919. Award MC Jun 1918 whilst serving with 4th Bn Tank Corps. Later served with 22nd Bn Tank Corps. Contact addresses on MIC are Overmoigne at Dorchester then 18 Radstock Rd, Fairfield Liverpool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianB Posted 23 March , 2008 Share Posted 23 March , 2008 Extraordinary ! I've only just seen this thread, I could have given you details but you've found them (and more) already. Graeme Nixon appears in my grandfather's 1st WW letters. GN's older brother Robert was a contemporary of my Gfthr studying medicine at Lpl Univ. RN stayed on (& was comm into RAMC in 1917 & sent to SA) but my gfthr temporarily abandoned his studies to be comm into the MGC. GN did a degree in engineering at Lpl (hence eventual interest in tanks I guess). Interestingly GN turned out to be a gt friend of my gfthrs new 1917 2ic who had been a contemp of his at Lpl. Interesting also that GN was at Flers - so was my gfthr - where he won his MC ! I have a photo of GN in a Lpl Univ athletics / football (can't remember) team in ?1913. Where did you get the biographical information on GN, and what is your interest ? Julian PS I think I found out that GN also became a school master. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 23 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 March , 2008 Julian - thanks for making contact and adding more details about Graeme Nixon. Who was your grandfather - was he also one of the first tank commanders? And what more can you tell me about Graeme My sources have been fairly standard, The London Gazette, The London Times, Medal Index cards, not to mention help from Pals but the touch-stone remains Trevior Pidgeons book "The Tanks at Flers", Last September, having been dabbling for about three years, I decided to share the information and set up my website http://firsttankcrews.webs.com/. Any info you have would be most appreciated Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianB Posted 23 March , 2008 Share Posted 23 March , 2008 Stephen, I think we've corresponded before - I've always been a bit frustrated in that nearly everything written about Flers has been about tanks. My grandfather was in MGC infantry, in 123 Coy. A Lt at Flers but became OC Coy the next year. That's pretty much all I know about GN - some of which I got from Lpl Univ Roll of Honour (listed both the dead and the quick). The only tank person who my gfthr said was at Flers was Harold Wernher but my basic research (there's a typecscript biog at IWM) suggests that his memory was wrong - he must have met him somewhere else. Otherwise a cousin of my gfthr ws in 7Bn Tanks later on. Identifying all the people mentioned in my gfthrs letters has been a difficult task - but only a few left now. Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 23 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 March , 2008 Julian - thanks for the fast response. sorry about not linking to our earler contact (old age creeping etc) You make a good point about Flers/Courcellette; an infantry success (heavily suuported by the gunners and occasionally assisted by the tanks) but rarely remembered except with reference to the tanks rather than the crews! Do you mind if I add your info on GN to the website? S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianB Posted 23 March , 2008 Share Posted 23 March , 2008 Stephen About Graeme Nixon ? no problem - I don't know whether the N family is still in Liverpool - but I'm intending to write something about my grandfather & 123 Coy MGC etc I went to Flers last year but was still a bit uncertain about the ground. Trevor P refers to a report by Otter but I couldn't find anything in 41 Div or XV Corps WDs - any ideas ? Any ideas about Wernher ? Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 24 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 24 March , 2008 I looked for Wernher when we last communicated but regret I could find nothing. Haven't checked out Otter, will see where it goes Thanx for the GN link S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 7 August , 2016 Share Posted 7 August , 2016 From Delta's excellent work I Know that GN died in hospital in Everton on 1 Dec 66. Can anyone help find where he is buried please? I know some people who want to make a visit to his grave in the coming weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 7 August , 2016 Share Posted 7 August , 2016 I've looked in all the places I know, but couldn't find anything that delta didn't already have, except that he gave John Lennon a detention, for not having his homework, on 27/5/1955. "May 27th 1955. John was given two detentions. The first for ‘Sharing desk without permission’, the teacher who gave this detention was R. A. Roberts. The second was for not having his homework, ‘No Hwk’, this was given by a teacher named Graeme Nixon." “I.G.N. - Graeme Nixon, a maths teacher. Known as “Nick”, not a pleasant man according to Pete Shotton. I subsequently learned that he had been a very gallant tank commander in World War 1” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 7 August , 2016 Share Posted 7 August , 2016 Thanks IPT. I knew the John Lennon story courtesy of Delta's excellent research. Where should I go looking to try and find a record of where he is buried? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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