Name: Rank: Service No: Service: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Death: Age at Death: Memorial: Reference:

Frederick Arthur Nichols

Sources Veterans Affairs Canada aircrewremembered.com William Allen Hobson

Frederick Arthur Nichols Sergeant R/104146 22 OTU RAF; Royal Canadian Air Force April 15, 1921 Dartmouth, NS January 30, 1944 22 Stratford-On-Avon Cemetery, England Grave 4192. Commemorated on page 404 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on August 29 Commemorated on the Canadian Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, Alberta. Frederick Arthur Nichols was the son of John Milson Nichols (1895-1954) and Vera Victoria Muriel (Burberry) Nichols (1901-1972), of Belmont, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. His mother was born in Reigate in Surrey, England. His father was born in Dartmouth, NS. Frederick was the brother of Sidney John Nichols (1919-1963), Sybill Iris Nichols (1922-2004), Doris Joan Nichols (1923-2012), Muriel Edith Nichols (1924-2004), Kathleen Nichols (1926-2012), Lionel Nichols (1927-2011), Stanley James Nichols (1928-2002), and Valerie Ann (Nichols) Priest. His father John served with Canadian Expeditionary Forces in the Canadian Army during the First World War in England and France (Service No. 414465) enlisting August 2, 1915. He served with units including the 66th Regiment (Princess Louise Fusiliers), Canadian Machine Gun Companies, and the 40th Battalion. Frederick enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force on June 26, 1941, at Halifax, NS. Sergeant Nichols went overseas September 13, 1943. As part of his advanced training, he was assigned to No. 22 Operational Training Unit of the Royal Air Force. Vickers Wellington Mark III DF566 on which Frederick served took off at 7:24 pm on a training flight for bombing practice from RAF Wellesbourne Mountford in Warwickshire, England on January 30, 1944. They were detailed to carryout a dual night bombing exercise on the local bombing range known at Priors Hardwick. Two to three minutes after takeoff the pilot radioed requesting permission to bomb. Roughly six minutes later, another crew flying the same course reported seeing the Wellington on fire in the air. The bomber suffered engine failure, and crashed at North Farm in Ladbroke near Southam, in Warwickshire. Frederick and the other 6 RCAF crew listed below were killed. Flying Officer Lionel Wollaston Matthews, Distinguished Flying Medal [DFM] (Service No. J/17198), age 23 Flying Officer Gordon Henry Schlitt (Service No. J/12768), age 20 Pilot Officer Clarence Walter Pearce (Service No. J/27424), age 29 Pilot Officer Edward Addy Davis (Service No. R/104146), age 24 Sergeant Carlin Anthony Bannon (Service No. R/203391), age 20 Sergeant William Allen Hobson (Service No. R/222664), age 18 The young men were buried at Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire.