Nixon, James Harold Claude (Lieutenant, b.1890 - d.1920)

Collection relating to the First World War service of Lieutenant James Harold Claude Nixon, Royal Flying Corps, England and France, 1915-1918. 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. The collection includes this, and other certificates awarded to Nixon. Also included in the collection are two original handwritten diaries, covering the period 28 January 1916 to 16 August 1917. Nixon’s entry on 28 July 1917 reads ‘O.P. 2hrs. Drew two Huns on behind. First experience of them. Fired two bursts. They cleared off. Saw Rooper shoot one down. Fair amount of circling about.’ A couple of weeks later, on 16 August 1917, Nixon wrote ‘Wounded in head, admitted C.C.S. after landing at aerodrome’. This was his final diary entry. Additional collection material includes correspondence from the Royal Flying Corps, Officers Invaliding Medical Board, regarding Nixon’s health. 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.’ Also included in the collection are two personal letters from Nixon to his mother; a Pilot’s Flying Log Book; and a photograph of Nixon, in aviator’s clothing, inscribed ‘Jim Nixon, died after war from burns in crashed fighter, and tuberculosis, son of George and Emily’