Name
Cyril John Nixon
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/10/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Royal Flying Corps
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RADLETT (CHRIST CHURCH) CHURCHYARD EXTENSION, ALDENHAM
283
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
No details shown
UK & Other Memorials
Radlett Town Memorial, Christchurch Memorial, Radlett, University of London Roll of War Service
Pre War
Cyril John Nixon was born in Catford, Kent in 1897, the son of Butler and Mary Nixon and the youngest of three children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in 92 Catford Hill, Lewisham, where his father was a bookseller. By 1911 the family had moved to Bellevue, Ox Lane, Harpenden where his father was a bookseller.
He attended Finsbury Technical College before enlistment.
His parents later lived at The Glen, Radlett, Herts.
Wartime Service
Cyril initially enlisted into the 3rd/5th Bedfordshire Regiment as 2nd Lieutenant and served in France from 30 September 1916.
He was wounded and by 17 March 1917 was in the 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester. After his recovery he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in early September 1917.
RFC (RAF) Officer records state that he was "seriously injured in aeroplane accident" on 13 October 1917 . The flying accident occurred when flying in a Maurice Farman Shorthorn plane, which sideslipped off a steep turn at East Anton Farm, Near Andover. Lt Frederick Falkenberg Wessel was also injured.
Cyril died of his injuries on 18 October 1917 and is buried in Radlett (Christchurch) Churchyard Extension, Herts.
Additional Information
headstone (not CWGC) bears the inscription:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF LIEUT. CYRIL J. NIXON
BEDS. REGT. & R.F.C.
RAISED(?) TO HIGHER SERVICE DECEMBER 18TH 1917 IN HIS 21ST(?) YEAR
"UNTIL THE DAY BREAK."
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
www,bedfordregiment.org.uk/biographies
