The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Captain John Edward Nix, 25th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Dennis Stockman, the story for this day was on Captain John Edward Nix, 25th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

Captain John Edward Nix, 25th Battalion, AIF
KIA 5 November
Photograph: H06713

Story delivered 13 June 2016

Today we remember and pay tribute to Captain John Edward Nix.

John Nix, known as “Jack”, was born around 1891 to George and Elizabeth Nix in New South Wales. He grew up in Charters Towers, Queensland, and after leaving school he joined the staff of the local newspaper the Northern Miner. He worked there until around 1914, when he joined the staff of the Townsville Star. A keen member of the cadets during school, he served in the Kennedy Regiment as a bugler until he was old enough to apply for a lieutenancy in. He became a drill instructor and took his company to cadet competitions around the state, expeditions which were reportedly “wonderfully successful”.

Within days of the outbreak of war in August 1914 Nix was sent to Thursday Island, where he served as a sergeant in the signalling section of the 2nd Infantry Regiment. On returning to Australia he promptly applied for active service overseas, and in November was granted a commission in the Australian Imperial Force.

Lieutenant Nix arrived on Gallipoli in early September 1915, and was mentioned in divisional orders for his “valuable reconnoitring efforts” around Apex trenches. He was temporarily granted the rank of captain while on Gallipoli, later confirmed.

Captain Nix suffered a gunshot wounded to the hand near Mouquet Farm in late August 1916, and was evacuated to hospital in England, where he wrote “in humorous gratitude” of the enemy, “who had, by wounding him, given him such a chance of seeing England and so much pleasure”. He added:

I am proud to say our boys have excelled themselves and driven the old Hun from what he thought to be an impregnable position, and what is more we held on in spite of the heaviest artillery … I have lost many of my nearest and dearest pals. Men when they go through all that we have together become the dearest of friends, who act as brothers, and my heart has stood a very severe trial of late.

Nix returned to the battlefield in September 1916. Within weeks his battalion was called on to take part in an attack near the French village of Flers. The morning before the attack Captain Nix asked Private Reg Bovey, a friend from Charters Towers to let his family know if anything happened to him. Bovey said, “he was very cheerful, and, I might say, almost anxious for the charge he knew they had to make”.

Nix was killed in the attack on 5 November 1916. It was reported that he was killed by machine gun-fire, but his body was not recovered from the battlefield for some months. His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel James Walker, wrote to Nix’s parents, saying:

Captain Nix was without exception the most popular officer in the Battalion. The Company of which he was in command loved him, both for his gallant leading and attention to the welfare of his men.

In Australia the Northern Miner reported his passing:

“Nixie” was a loveable personality, bubbling over with life and enthusiasm … as brave as a lion. He was a soldier to his heels.

Captain Nix’s grave was lost in fighting that followed his death. Today he is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at Villers-Bretonneux.

His name is also listed here on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War. His photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Captain John Edward Nix, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section