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Sgt. Henry James Nicholas VC, MM.
New Zealand Expeditionary Force 1st Btn Canterbury Infantry Regiment
from:New Zealand
(d.23rd Oct 1918)
Henry James Nicholas was a 26-year-old private in the 1st Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force when he was awarded the VC:
"On 3rd December 1917, at Polderhoek in Belgium, Private Nicholas who was one of a Lewis Gun section, which was checked by heavy machine-gun and rifle fire from an enemy strong-point, went forward followed by the remainder of his section at an interval of about 25 yards, shot the officer in command of the strong-point and overcame the remainder of the garrison of 16 with bombs and bayonets, capturing four wounded prisoners and a machine-gun. He captured the strong-point practically single-handed and thereby saved many casualties. Subsequently he went out and collected ammunition under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire."
Later promoted to sergeant, Nicholas was killed in action on 23rd of October 1918, near Vertigneul in France. He is buried in the Vertigneul Churchyard.
