Victor Hills Nicholson. Died 9th August 1917
Victor was the youngest son and youngest child of Alfred and Letitia (nee Hills) Nicholson. He was born at Glebelands , Wokingham on 27th May 1897 and was educated at the Royal Naval Colleges Osbourne and Dartmouth, his naval career being mapped out from an early age.
He was appointed a Midshipman on 30th July 1914, just days before war was declared and he served on HMS Marlborough at the Battle of Jutland. He was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant and served on HMS Tigress and HMS Recruit. He was killed when that ship was torpedoed on 9th August 1917. His poor mother, 3 sons lost in the war.
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It is to be hoped that she was consoled by the letter she received from Victor’s senior officer: “May I say how fond I was of your son, he was such a cheerful soul and such a competent officer. From the day he joined Recruit I never had to worry when he was on watch at sea, as he was so smart and quick”. His name is recorded on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
A memorial service was held in Wokingham on 25th August for Victor.
Name: NICHOLSON, VICTOR HILLS
Rank: Sub-Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.S. “Recruit.”
Age: 20
Date of Death: 09/08/1917
Additional information: Son of Letitia Marian Nicholson, of Chetwood, Wokingham, Berks., and the late Alfred James Nicholson.
Grave/Memorial Reference: 20. Memorial: PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
Born ‘Glebelands’, Wokingham, Berkshire
‘Chetwood’, London Road, Wokingham, Berkshire