Nicholas Archibald Elphinstone

First Name: 
Nicholas
Middle Name: 
Archibald
Last Name: 
Elphinstone
Date of Birth: 
Monday, February 13, 1893
Mother's Name: 
Annie Elphinstone nee Pettitt
Father's Name: 
Alexander Elphinstone
Date Enlisted: 
Tuesday, March 7, 1916
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Rank at Discharge: 
Sergeant
Unit: 
56th Battalion
Company: 
D
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Saturday, June 22, 1974
Place of Death: 
Grafton, N.S.W.
Details: 

Nicholas Elphinstone (Service No 2159) was born in Campbelltown, Cumberland, England.

Nicholas enlisted when he was 23 years of age.  He was single, lived at Corrimal, N.S.W. and worked as a bank clerk.  He had served previously with the Cadets.

He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A15 Port Sydney with 4th Reinforcements, 56th Battalion on 4th September 1916.  When he arrived in England on 29th October 1916, he was sent to France to join D Company, 56th Battalion on 23rd December 1916.

Nicholas saw service on the Western Front and on 20th August 1917 was promoted to Lance Corporal.

On 29th September 1917, while fighting in the Polygon Wood area, he was wounded and evacuated to hospital for treatment of severe shrapnel wounds to his right buttock.  He returned to his unit on 17th April 1918 and served until the end of the war.

On 5th June 1919 he married Alice Hewer at Sussex, England and they returned to Australia in February 1920.

Nicholas was discharged on 5th April 1920 as honorary Sergeant.

He remained working with the bank, and in 1949 he was manager of the English, Scottish & Australian (ES&A) bank at Ulmarra, N.S.W.

Nicholas died in 1974 and is buried at Grafton, N.S.W.

Sources: 
NAA: B2455, ELPHINSTONE N A

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