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Nicholas Archibald Elphinstone - Information

Nicholas Archibald Elphinstone was born in Campbelltown in 1893. When the war started, he was living in Corrimal with his family and was working as a bank clerk. When he was 23, Nicholas joined up at the Showground Camp in Sydney on the 7th of March 1916. He trained at Goulburn Depot and was posted as a Private to the 56th Battalion. His unit embarked Sydney onboard the HMAT Port Sydney on the 4th of September 1916.

Disembarking at Plymouth in late October, Nicholas was transported to France in December, joining the 56th Battalion. The 56th were then moved to Belgium for the Third Battle of Ypres. On the 20th of August 1917, Nicholas was appointed Lance Corporal. On the 26th of September at Polygon Wood, Nicholas was struck by a shell blast, wounding his right buttock. He was evacuated to England, admitted to the 2nd Southern General Hospital in Bristol. By December he was recuperating at Dartford, before being sent back to France in April 1918, joining the heavy fighting following the German March Offensive. On the 21st of September, he was promoted to Temporary Corporal. Nicholas remained with his unit after the war ended, and in May 1919, was promoted to Temporary Sergeant. While on leave, Nicholas married his British girlfriend, Alice Irene Hewer. They tied the knot at the Parish Church in East Preston, Sussex on the 5th of June 1919. He finished his tour of duty, returning to Australia with his new bride, for their new life together.