2nd Lieutenant Philip Henry NIXON
2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Date of birth: 24th April 1891
Date of death: 18th December 1916

Died of wounds aged 25
Buried at Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery Row O Grave 27
He was born at a ranch near El Paso in Texas on the 24th of April 1891 the only son of Robert Alwood Nixon, a rancher and Underwriting Member of Lloyd's, and Ida Eleanor (later Cartwright) later of "Hillside", Barming in Kent, and of “Wood Gate”, Woodbridge in Suffolk. Following his father's death in 1898 he and his mother came to England.

He was educated at St Faith's School, Trumpington in Cambridgeshire and at the King’s School Canterbury from January 1904 to July1907 where he obtained an entrance scholarship and a Junior Scholarship in July 1906.

After leaving school he went to Canada but returned to England and was accepted as a candidate for service as an interpreter with the Foreign Office in 1910.

Following the outbreak of war he enlisted at Gloucester Barracks as Private 2370 in the 1/5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment on the 7th of August 1914 and was posted for training to Chelmsford. He volunteered for overseas service on the 12th of September 1914 and embarked for France with his battalion at Folkestone on board the SS "Invicta" at 9pm on the 29th of March 1915, landing at Boulogne two hours later. He was appointed as an unpaid Lance Corporal on the 20th of May 1915. While still in France he applied for a commission on the 6th of February 1916 and underwent a medical examination the following day where it was recorded that he was five feet ten inches tall and that he weighed 140lbs. He was posted for officer training to the 28th (County of London) Battalion (Artists Rifles) at the Cadet School at Blendesques on the 12th of July 1915 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment on the 15th of August 1915. He joined his battalion in the field on the 21st of August 1915.

He embarked with his battalion at Marseilles on the 25th of November 1915 and landed at Salonica on the 12th of December 1915. He was granted a permanent commission in the army on the 4th of March 1916.

On the evening of the 5th of December 1916 the 2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment formed up to the north east of Kakaraska for an attack the following day. They moved off at 4.30am for a position known as Rabbit Wood where they arrived and dug in inside the southern part of the wood. At 6.45am the 10th Scottish Rifles attacked positions on the left bank of Tumbitza Stream but were driven back by rifle and machine gun fire. During this attack the Gloucesters were unable to leave the wood at all; such was the weight of fire directed against them. All day the machine guns kept the two battalions pinned down until the Gloucesters commanding officer asked for an artillery barrage as a prelude to the next attack. This began at 4pm and it appeared that the machine guns had been silenced but as soon as any movement was seen in the wood they opened up again. It was decided to attack again the next morning, the 7th of December and the battalion spent an uncomfortable night as they were under fire tight up until midnight. At 6.45am the artillery began firing in support of the new attack and the Gloucesters were able to cross the stream but were soon pinned down and were able to move without drawing heavy fire. They were finally pulled back at 6.30pm when they withdrew to Pheasant Wood. Casualties for the attack were five officers wounded with thirty three other ranks killed or missing and seventy six other ranks wounded.

Philip Nixon was among the wounded, having been hit by shrapnel in the shoulder and in both thighs and was evacuated to 29 Stationary Hospital.

His mother received a telegram dated the 17th of December 1916: -

"Regret to inform you that 2nd Lieut. P.H. Nixon Gloucester Regt. was wounded December sixth. Will report any further news on receipt."

His step father received a further telegram dated the 20th of December 1916: -

"Regret to inform you that 2nd Lieut. P.H. Nixon Gloucester Regt. was wounded 6th Dec and is now dangerously ill in 29 Stationary hospital, Salonica. Telegram sent to mother at Stonehouse, Gloucester."

His mother received a final telegram dated the 22nd of December 1916: -

"Deeply regret to inform you that 2/Lieut. P.H. Nixon 2nd Gloucesters died of wounds December eighteenth. The Army Council express their sympathy."
 

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