Brigadier Claude Nicholson CB, Commander 30th Brigade

Does anyone know how or why he died after his brigade surrendered at Calais in May 1940. His date of death is 26th June 1943 and his is the only CWGC grave in ROTENBURG (FULDA) CIVIL CEMETERY which I find a bit odd too.

CWGC :: Certificate

 

According to Generals.dk he was CO of 16/5 L before the war. If that was his own regiment, I'd expect there to be an obituary for him in their journal, though maybe postwar.

 

It says that was his unit on the CWGC entry Andrew. I've found a few websites on him but none seem to give the cause of his death. I suspect it maybe ill health due to no specific reason being given on various sites.

I'm just curious.

 

... and the Senior British Officer, Brigadier Claude Nicholson, died in fall from a window that may have been suicide. (He is the only prisoner's grave in the cemetery at Rotenburg.)

from here

 

Many thanks Sol.....A case of did he jump or was he pushed?

 

I also found this from Chant-Sempill's "St. Nazaire Commando"

Night came and we were allowed to go to bed. I was exhausted and I slept, but when I awoke I realised something dreadful had happened.

The others in our room, 'Sam' Parker, David Campbell, Peter Green minus one leg, Charlie Madden, Jake Bolton, Billy Winnington, two doctors and Robin Campbell, were sitting up in their bunks silent and in a state of shock. For Brigadier Nicholson had been found dead during the night.

Death is always a shock: but in prison camp - where most of us had already survived death, or near death, in some form or other - it was closer than most of us cared to discuss. Claude Nicholson, a substantive brigadier, was then the second most senior officer of the British Army prisoners in captivity in Germany. He was already a national figure at home because of his stand at Calais. He was, until his death, albeit in capture, an officer with a future. But the war was unkind to him. Apart from being sacrificed with his force of Green Jackets at Calais in 1940, he had the problem of our camp's involvement with the massacre at Katyn; and of the growing resentment within the camp that a traitor had been seemingly allowed to continue his deception and had not been sent to a soldiers' camp. Also he was not a strong man and was often taken ill.
If anybody have this book he can check is there anything else about Nicholson death.

 

Many thanks Sol.....A case of did he jump or was he pushed?

Sol and I have discussed another officer that died the same way, that being, out of an upstairs window. In his case it was put down to sleep walking!!

 

This is getting intriguing. I wonder if his account is still in Russia? I think Hollands and Timpson's accounts (already posted in the 1940 section) about the fall of Calais were given to the Prime Minister a few years ago, I think when Putin last visited as a good will gesture.

I've found a pic of Nicholson taken just before his death in a PoW camp in one of my books. Off to work now but will post it later.

Cheers all
Andy

 

If someone would kindly double check my search in TNA engine ??

I'm off - have to do Christmas shopping. Sigh.

Thought you would have been done and dusted by Diane!

 

As far as I am aware Claude Nicholson died of ill health in capitivity.He remains where he was initially interred.One of the very few British combatants to lie in their original graves in Germany and not transferred, postwar, to concentrated cemeteries.I believe this was at the request of his family.

His brother, Godfrey Nicholson was an MP and listened in the house on June 5 1940, when Churchill paid tribute to the British Brigadier's (without naming Nicholson) memorable resistance and sacrifice of his troops in the defence of Calais.

 

Ernest Lorne Campbell Edlmann's Interview in IWM

REEL 8 Continues: Recollections of period as POW in Stalag 18 A Wolfsberg, 1942: nature of camp; account of escape from camp and recapture including aid given by Douglas Bader, 4/1942. Period of confinement in German civilian prison, 6/1942 including second escape attempt and meeting with German panzer officer. Recollections of period as POW in Oflag 7 B, Eichstaett, 1942-1943: winter conditions and contracting chilblains; move to hospital. Recollections of period as POW in Oflag 9 A/Z , Rotenburg, 1943-1945: camp commander Brigadier Nicolson' s suicide.
Unfortunately temporally unavailable.

 

Thanks for that Harry Ree, curiouser.
Does anyone have access to Times ... perhaps there is an obit. or tribute?

Found it, I think - given a ref. no. just one before Holland's
WO 217/1

How embarrassed am I !

I copied his diary in March this year - I'll post it to you Diane <embarrassed icon>


A really must sort out all my BEF stuff - Getting close to a 1,000 files and around 500 war diaries.

 

Possibly writing the above diary?


Taken from The Flames of Calais by Airey Neave

 

Apparently Brigadier Claude Nicholson’s grave is still in Rotenburg-an-der-Fulda. For unknown reasons, it used to be looked after by a German lady for many years. When she died, some sort of a Belgian War Graves Commission took over. As far as the cause and circumstances of his death are concerned, there are lots of rumors around in Rotenburg. If the family would request it, even today, I am sure they could obtain the death certificate from the local Standesamt in Rotenburg. I could check up front, but for the actual document, it needs the family to request it. I could also obtain a photo of his grave.
Stefan.