Lieutenant James Harold Claude Nixon

Lieutenant James Harold Claude Nixon initially commenced his service with the Australian Imperial Force, enlisting in August 1915. He subsequently applied to be a pilot and on 21 May 1917 was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He was awarded an Aviators Certificate by the Royal Aero Club on 24 May 1917. In August 1917 he received a head wound. Although the Invaliding Board cleared Nixon for resumption of duties on 21 February 1918, he was later seriously burnt when his engine failed and his plane crashed. A letter from the Air Ministry, Strand, dated 12 November 1918, notifies Nixon that he is ‘permanently unfit for further service, it is regretted that there is no alternative but to gazette you as relinquishing your commission on account of ill-health.’ Nixon received a grant of 51 pounds from the British Red Cross ‘to enable him to pay his journey out to Australia’. He returned to Victoria. Whilst he recovered from his serious burns, his general health deteriorated; he contracted tuberculosis, and died on 7 May 1920.