William Nickerson (British Army officer)

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox military person Major-General William Henry Snyder Nickerson (27 March 1875, Dorchester, New Brunswick – 10 May 1954 Kintyre, Argyllshire, Scotland), was a Canadian-born recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces, for actions taken during the Second Boer War.

Early life

He was born at Dorchester, New Brunswick, son of the Reverend D. Nickerson, MA, Chaplain to HM's Forces, and Catherine Snyder, daughter of Reverend W. H. Snyder, MA.<ref name=abw>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

His family returned to England when he was a child. He was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School,<ref name=abw/> Manchester Grammar School and Owen's College, the forerunner of the University of Manchester, graduating in medicine in 1896. A trained physician, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) of the British Army in 1898<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> and served in the Second Boer War from 1899.

Victoria Cross

Nickerson was a 25-year-old lieutenant in the RAMC, attached to the Mounted Infantry during the Second Boer War, when his actions at Wakkerstroom during the Siege of Wepener led to the award of the Victoria Cross.<ref>"Engagement at Wakkerstroom" https://www.battletoursza.com/engagement-at-wakkerstroom-free-state-20-april-1900/ accessed August 1, 2025</ref>

His citation reads: Template:Quote

Later military service

Nickerson was promoted to captain in 1901,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> returning to the United Kingdom at the end of the war in June 1902 on board the SS Soudan, arriving in Southampton in September that year.<ref>Template:Cite newspaper The Times</ref> He was then posted to Egypt.<ref>Hart's Army list, 1903.</ref>

He served in the First World War, on the Western front and then at Salonika in Greece. By then a major, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1915<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> and Brevet Colonel in June 1918,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> becoming a companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in May 1916,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> companion of the Order of the Bath in June 1919,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> and receiving the Greek Medal for Military Merit 3rd class.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>

In 1920 he was a part of the Allied Sanitary Commission in Constantinople.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> In 1925 he was promoted to major-general<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> and was appointed Honorary Surgeon to the King,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> becoming Director of Medical Services, India, in September 1929.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> He retired in September 1933,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> before serving as Colonel Commandant of the RAMC from December 1933<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> to April 1945.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>

Later life

Nickerson died on 10 May 1954 and is buried in the private burial ground at his home in Cour, Kintyre, Scotland.

Nickerson's grave is in the private burial ground at his home in Cour, Kintyre, Scotland.<ref name=VC>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

His medals are privately held.<ref name=VC/>

Bibliography

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Strathclyde)
• Major General W.H.S. Nickerson
• Template:Find a Grave
• Legion Magazine Article Template:Webarchive
• Template:Lives of WWI