Jim Nicholas
James Joachim Nicholas MiD (17 November 1890 — 20 September 1917) was an Australian rules footballer who played with University in the Victorian Football League. He was killed in action, in Belgium, during World War I.
Jim Nicholas | |||
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Personal information | |||
Full name | James Joachim Nicholas | ||
Date of birth | 17 November 1890 | ||
Place of birth | Picola, Victoria | ||
Date of death | 20 September 1917 26) | (aged||
Place of death | Menin Road Ridge, Passchendaele salient, Belgium[1] | ||
Position(s) | Half Back | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1911 | University | 1 (0) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1911. | |||
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Family
The son of William John Nicholas, and Sarah Nicholas, née Joachim,[2] James Joachim Nicholas was born at Picola, Victoria on 17 November 1890.
Education
He was educated at Brighton Grammar School.[3] In 1906, aged just 15, he passed the matriculation examination.[4]
He studied medicine at the University of Melbourne,[5][6] graduating as Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (M.B.B.S.) in 1911,[7] and as Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) in 1913.[8]
Medicine
Following his graduation, and before his military service, he practised medicine jointly with Dr. Richard Horace Gibbs in Colac, Victoria.[9]
Football
A regular player for the University's Metropolitan Amateur Football Association (MAFA) team, he played one VFL match for the University team, as a last minute inclusion in a team badly depleted in numbers, in the round 12 match, against Richmond Football Club, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on 8 July 1911.
Military service
He served in the Australian Medical Corps during the First World War but was killed in action at the Menin Road Ridge, aged 26, on 20 September 1917,[10] while serving at the Passchendaele front.
Footnotes
- Main, J. & Allen, D., "Nicholas, James", pp.135-136 in Main, J. & Allen, D., Fallen — The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War, Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002.
- Marriages, The Age, (Saturday 8 February 1890), p.5.
- Our Schools, Brighton Southern Cross, (Saturday, 17 December 1904) p.2.
- Matriculation: May Results: Melbourne Candidates, The Australasian, (Saturday, 23 July 1906), p.38; Our Schools: Brighton Grammar School: Form VI, The Brighton Southern Cross, (Saturday, 22 December 1906), p3.
- Medical Student's Work, The Argus, (Saturday, 13 August 1910), p.19.
- Roll of War Service, The Melbourne University Magazine: War Memorial Number, (July 1920), pp.32-33.
- Conferring of Degrees: Bachelor of Medicine: James Joachim Nicholas, The Australasian, (Saturday, 30 December 1911) p.31; Conferring of Degrees: Bachelor of Surgery: James Joachim Nicholas, The Australasian, (Saturday, 30 December 1911) p.31.
- Melbourne University: Degrees Conferred: Doctor of Medicine: James Joachim Nicholas, The Argus, (Wednesday, 24 December 1913), p.6.
- Colac Contingent: For Expeditionary Force: Army Medical Corps, The Colac Herald, (Friday, 28 August 1914), p.5; (News Item), The Colac Herald, (Monday, 24 August 1914), p.5.
- For Freedom's Cause: Killed in Action: Lieut.-Colonel J.J. Nicholas, The Bendigonian, (Thursday, 4 October 1917), p.22; Roll of Honor: Victorian List: Killed in Action: "Lieut.-Col. J.J. Nicholas, Echuca East, 20/9/17", The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 27 October 1917), p.31.
Sources
- Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
- Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour: James Joachim Nicholas.
- World War One Service Record: Lieutenant Colonel James Joachim Nicholas, National Archives of Australia.
- World War One Nominal Roll: Lieutenant Colonel James Joachim Nicholas, Australian War Memorial.
- World War One Embarkation Roll: Captain James Joachim Nicholas, Australian War Memorial.