“My grandfather James Quaey Nelson #53947 won a Distinguished Conduct Medal, which my father has, with the 18th battalion at Flers-Courcelette. He was from Glasgow and moved to the Galt Ont. area in 1912, attesting there on Oct 25 1914 age 25. He was in France from Sept 15 1915 until April 26 1918. Survived the war and went back to Preston Ont., got married and moved to Woodstock where he was a moulder at a foundry there. He passed away in 1953. I have his records from LAC and the war diary pages for his DCM.”
“Recent Awards” Found in The Canadian Machine Gunner magazine. First Issue. Page 13.War Diary, October 1916, page 10 listing the soldiers and their medals awarded during the 18th Battalion’s service at the Somme.
Distinguished Conduct Medal: Date of Award – September 15, 1916. Date of Citation – October 22, 1916.
Citation For conspicuous gallantry in action. When his officer and NCO had been killed, Private Nelson took charge of his Lewis gun sections and skilfully placed the guns in position in advance of the captured line. He displayed great coolness and courage throughout the operations.
You can’t do history alone. A relative of Sergeant Nelson contacted this blog in response to a soldier’s page created recently and this dialogue has enhanced my understanding of this member of the 18th Battalion. Thanks to Dennis Nelson for forwarding this information. Below is a service summary he created and I have edited it primarily for formatting. This table gives an overview of Sergeant Nelson’s service and his ascent from a Private to Sergeant. The hyperlinks in this document are additions I made to allow readers to find out discovery additional information.
Sergeant James Quaey Nelson courtesy of D. Nelson.
Date
Event
July 3 1890
Born at Glasgow Scotland.
July 14 1912
Disembarks RMS Grampian at Quebec City from Glasgow.
Oct 25 1914
Attested into 18th Battalion at Galt Ontario:
age 24 years, 3 months
Regimental Number: 53947
Next of kin given as Peter Nelson (father) of 34 Hamilton St., Camelon-Falkirk, Scotland
Stated as single
Previous occupation given as moulder
Stated to currently be a member of the active militia with the 29th Waterloo Regiment with brother Peter
Embarked the SS Grampian at Halifax for England with the 18th Battalion. (Same as Pte. Wm. R. Dewar)
April 24 1915
Disembarked at Avonmouth, England 6:00 am. To West Sandling Camp 3:00 pm.
May 1 1915
$15.00 pay per month assigned to Mrs. Jessie Nelson 34 Hamilton St, Camelon-Falkirk, Scotland.
Aug 5 1915
Forfeits 4 days’ pay – absent without leave (AWL).
Sept 14 1915
Left West Sandling for Folkestone 6:00 pm—arrived 7:45 pm. Embarked overseas with D Company 9:50 pm.
Sept 15 1915
To Boulogne, France 5:55 am.
Feb 13 1916
Granted 9 days leave for England.
Feb 23 1916
Returned from leave.
March 27 1916
Reported from base, slightly wounded by shell at Ridgewood. Buried by blast debris, dug out.
April 8 1916
Jessie Nelson (mother) dies, assigned pay changed to George Nelson (brother) and then possibly changed to another party (George too young possibly?). This entry is being reviewed – ee
Awarded Distinguished Conduct Medal at La Vicogne, France (from War Diaries) – London Gazette No. 29824 Nov 14 1916 page second supplement page 70 “For conspicuous gallantry in action. When his officer and N.C.O. had been killed, Pte. Nelson took charge of his Lewis gun sections, and skillfully placed the guns in position in advance of the captured line. He displayed great coolness and courage throughout the operations.”
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