Presentation watch fob : Private Ernest Millington Nixon, 19 Battalion AIF

Places
Accession Number REL33298
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Heraldry
Physical description Gold
Maker Unknown
Place made Australia
Date made c 1916
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

15 carat Gold watch fob presented to Private Ernest Millington Nixon on his departure from Australia to the First World War.
Obverse features a central soldier kneeling and shooting, superimposed over a map of Australia. The fob is octagonal and features eight square cut-outs on its inner border. The border is engraved with decorations.
Reverse is engraved with the inscription in the centre 'Pres. to / E.M. NIXON / from Reefton & / Gidginbung'. The edge inscription is "On the eve of his departure to fight for King & Country Sept 1916'.

History / Summary

Associated with the service of 6118 Private Ernest Millington Nixon, a farmer of Reefton, NSW. Aged 29 when he enlisted in his home town on 25 July 1916, Nixon embarked for overseas service from Sydney aboard HMAT Ascanius with the 14th - 17th reinforcements for 19 Battalion. Disembarking at Devonport in England on 28 December 1916, Nixon completed his training at Rollestone and crossed the Channel to France on 12 March 1917 where he joined his new battalion as a member of A Company.

Two months later Private Nixon was dead, although he was initially posted as missing in action. In response to an enquiry regarding his status from Nixon's cousin, Miss Varcoe, Private Donald Rial of B Company, 19 Battalion recalled from hospital: 'I knew Ernest Nixon - he was a Reinforcement man. ... We all came over together. We called him Ernie. We went out together in the same line at midnight. He was wounded the same day as I was at Bullecourt on 3 May 1917. I believe it was a fatal high explosive.'

Correspondence to his father in 1921 states that 'his body was found during the operations conducted by the Graves Registration Unit' in late January 1918. Private Ernest Nixon is now buried at Queant Road Cemetery, Buissy, France. This pendant or watch fob is typical of the sort of gift provided by small town local councils or citizen's associations for men leaving for overseas service. The design is reminiscent of contemporary shooting awards. The fobs were designed to be attached to a watch chain.