John Nichols (British Army officer) - Revision history

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	==Second World War==		==Second World War==
	During the [[Second World War]], Nichols served with a mixed formation known as [[Habforce]]<ref>{{cite web\|title=Ophelia – Operations & Codenames of WWII\|url=http://codenames.info/operation/ophelia/\|website=codenames.info\|accessdate=7 June ~~2022~~}}</ref> which forced a successful conclusion to the [[Anglo-Iraqi War]]. He later commanded the 1st Battalion, [[Essex Regiment]], then serving as part of the [[23rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)\|23rd Brigade]] of [[Major-general (United Kingdom)\|Major-General]] [[Ronald Scobie]]'s [[70th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)\|70th Infantry Division]], during [[Operation Crusader]], in November 1941.{{sfn\|Smart\|2005\|p=233}} In late January 1942, shortly before the battalion departed for [[British Raj\|India]], he took command of the [[151st Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)\|151st Infantry Brigade]], part of the [[50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division]], and in late June commanded the [[10th Indian Infantry Division]], whereby he was promoted to the acting rank of major-general.<ref>{{London Gazette\|issue=35740\|date=9 October 1942\|page=4431\|supp=y}}</ref><ref name=dk/>		During the [[Second World War]], Nichols served with a mixed formation known as [[Habforce]]<ref>{{cite web\|title=Ophelia – Operations & Codenames of WWII\|url=http://codenames.info/operation/ophelia/\|website=codenames.info\|accessdate=7 June 2017}}</ref> which forced a successful conclusion to the [[Anglo-Iraqi War]]. He later commanded the 1st Battalion, [[Essex Regiment]], then serving as part of the [[23rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)\|23rd Brigade]] of [[Major-general (United Kingdom)\|Major-General]] [[Ronald Scobie]]'s [[70th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)\|70th Infantry Division]], during [[Operation Crusader]], in November 1941.{{sfn\|Smart\|2005\|p=233}} In late January 1942, shortly before the battalion departed for [[British Raj\|India]], he took command of the [[151st Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)\|151st Infantry Brigade]], part of the [[50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division]], and in late June commanded the [[10th Indian Infantry Division]], whereby he was promoted to the acting rank of major-general.<ref>{{London Gazette\|issue=35740\|date=9 October 1942\|page=4431\|supp=y}}</ref><ref name=dk/>

	From July 1942 he succeeded Major General [[William Ramsden (British Army officer)\|William Ramsden]] as [[General Officer Commanding]] (GOC) of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, leading it in the [[First Battle of El Alamein]], the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] in late October and in the [[Tunisian campaign]] at the [[Battle of the Mareth Line]] in March 1943, where it formed part of [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)\|Lieutenant General]] [[Oliver Leese\|Sir Oliver Leese]]'s [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)\|XXX Corps]]. However, he was relieved of his command in mid-April 1943 by [[General (United Kingdom)\|General]] [[Bernard Montgomery\|Sir Bernard Montgomery]], the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)\|British Eighth Army]] commander, blamed for his division's relatively poor performance during the battle, although the blame was more a faulty plan than it was Nichols's fault.{{sfn\|Smart\|2005\|p=233}} He was succeeded as GOC 50th Division by one of Montgomery's protegees, Major General [[Sidney Kirkman]], an artilleryman who, like Horrocks, had been at the Staff College alongside Nichols in the year below during Nichols's second year and more importantly was one of Montgomery's many protégés.{{sfn\|Smart\|2005\|p=233}} For his services in the Middle East Nichols was twice [[mentioned in despatches]].<ref>{{London Gazette\|issue=35316\|date=17 October 1941\|page=6089\|supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette\|issue=36065\|date=22 June 1943\|page=2853\|supp=y}}</ref>		From July 1942 he succeeded Major General [[William Ramsden (British Army officer)\|William Ramsden]] as [[General Officer Commanding]] (GOC) of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, leading it in the [[First Battle of El Alamein]], the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] in late October and in the [[Tunisian campaign]] at the [[Battle of the Mareth Line]] in March 1943, where it formed part of [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)\|Lieutenant General]] [[Oliver Leese\|Sir Oliver Leese]]'s [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)\|XXX Corps]]. However, he was relieved of his command in mid-April 1943 by [[General (United Kingdom)\|General]] [[Bernard Montgomery\|Sir Bernard Montgomery]], the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)\|British Eighth Army]] commander, blamed for his division's relatively poor performance during the battle, although the blame was more a faulty plan than it was Nichols's fault.{{sfn\|Smart\|2005\|p=233}} He was succeeded as GOC 50th Division by one of Montgomery's protegees, Major General [[Sidney Kirkman]], an artilleryman who, like Horrocks, had been at the Staff College alongside Nichols in the year below during Nichols's second year and more importantly was one of Montgomery's many protégés.{{sfn\|Smart\|2005\|p=233}} For his services in the Middle East Nichols was twice [[mentioned in despatches]].<ref>{{London Gazette\|issue=35316\|date=17 October 1941\|page=6089\|supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette\|issue=36065\|date=22 June 1943\|page=2853\|supp=y}}</ref>

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{{short description|British Army officer}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= John Nichols
|image= John-Sebastian-Nichols.jpg
|image_size= 175px
|alt=
|caption=
|nickname= "Crasher"{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=233}}
|birth_date= {{birth date|1896|07|05|df=yes}}
|birth_place= [[Markington]], [[Harrogate]], England
|death_date= {{death date and age|1954|02|07|1896|07|05|df=yes}}
|death_place= [[Aldershot]], [[Hampshire]], England
|placeofburial=
|allegiance= United Kingdom
|branch= [[British Army]] [[British Indian Army]]
|serviceyears= 1914–1948
|rank= [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]]
|servicenumber= 6701
|unit= [[Royal Lincolnshire Regiment|Lincolnshire Regiment]] [[21st Punjabis]] [[Border Regiment]]
|commands= [[114th Brigade (United Kingdom)|114th Infantry Brigade]] (1945) [[Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force]] (1945) [[182nd (2nd Warwickshire) Brigade|182nd Infantry Brigade]] (1943–45) [[50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division]] (1942–43) [[10th Indian Infantry Division]] (1942) [[151st Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|151st Infantry Brigade]] (1942) [[Habforce]] (1941) 1st Battalion, [[Essex Regiment]] (1940–42)
|battles= [[First World War]] [[Waziristan campaign (1919–1920)|Waziristan campaign]] [[1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine|Arab revolt in Palestine]] [[Anglo-Iraqi War]] [[Second World War]]
|awards= [[Distinguished Service Order]] & [[Medal bar|Bar]] [[Military Cross]] & Bar [[Mentioned in Despatches]] (2) [[Legion of Merit|Officer of the Legion of Merit]] (United States)<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=38122|date=11 November 1947|page=5352|supp=y}}</ref> [[War Cross (Greece)|War Cross, 1st Class]] (Greece)<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36569|date=16 June 1944|page=2913|supp=y}}</ref>
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
[[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] '''John Sebastian Nichols''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|DSO1|MC1}} (5 July 1896 – 7 February 1954) was a [[British Army]] officer who fought during both the [[First World War]] and the [[Second World War]]. During the latter his most notable role was when he commanded the [[50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division]] during the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] and in the [[Tunisian campaign]] from 1942 to 1943.<ref name=dk> [http://www.generals.dk/general/Nichols/John_Sebastian/Great_Britain.html Generals.dk]</ref>

==Early life and First World War==
Nichols was born on 5 July 1896 in the town of [[Markington]], [[Harrogate]], [[West Riding of Yorkshire]].<ref>England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837–1915</ref><ref>England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916–2007</ref><ref>1901 England Census</ref><ref>England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858–1966, 1973–1995</ref> His father was the Reverend Sebastian Elijah Nichols, an Anglican clergyman, and his mother was Caroline Isabel Mare.<ref>{{alox2|title=Nichols, Rev. Sebastian Elijah}}</ref>

Nichols was educated at [[Eton College]] and, after volunteering for the [[British Army]], shortly after the outbreak of the [[First World War]], he was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] as a [[second lieutenant]] into the Lincolnshire Regiment (later the [[Royal Lincolnshire Regiment]]) in late September 1914.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28918|date=29 September 1914|page=7696}}</ref>{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=233}} Promoted to [[Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)|lieutenant]] in early August 1915,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29257|date=6 August 1915|page=7873|supp=y}}</ref> and a captain in early June 1916,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30152|date=26 June 1917|page=6370|supp=y}}</ref> he served with the 1/5th Battalion, Lincolns, serving as part of the [[138th (Lincoln and Leicester) Brigade]] of the [[46th (North Midland) Division]], on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] for most of the war, earning the nickname of "Crasher", and being awarded the [[Military Cross]] (MC) in 1918, in addition to being twice wounded.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31583|date=4 October 1919|page=12322|supp=y}}</ref>

==Between the wars==
Nichols, made an honorary lieutenant in late November 1919,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31667|date=28 November 1919|page=14810|supp=y}}</ref> like many others who had joined up initially for the war, chose to remain in the army, which he did during the [[interwar period]]. He transferred to the [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]] reserve of officers and served with the [[21st Punjabis]] as an [[Acting rank|acting]] [[Major (United Kingdom)|major]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=32133|date=23 November 1920|page=11351}}</ref> in the [[Waziristan campaign (1919–1920)|Waziristan campaign]], where he was awarded a [[Medal bar|Bar]] to his MC for operations with the Waziristan Field Force in 1921.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=32811|date=3 April 1923|page=2512}}</ref> He transferred back to the British Army to the [[Border Regiment]] in March 1922.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=32636|date=10 March 1922|page=2128|supp=y}}</ref> By now a captain,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=32972|date=9 September 1924|page=6717}}</ref> and returning to England, he attended the [[Staff College, Camberley]] from 1930 to 1931,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33572|date=21 January 1930|page=428}}</ref> serving alongside such students as [[George F. Hopkinson|G. F. Hopkinson]], [[Miles Dempsey|M. C. Dempsey]], [[Manley Angell James|M. A. James]], [[James Steele (British Army officer)|J. S. Steele]], [[William Gott|W. H. E. Gott]] and [[George William Symes|G. W. Symes]].

After graduating from Camberley in December 1931 he served, from November 1932, as a [[Staff (military)|General Staff Officer]] (GSO) for Physical Training with [[Aldershot Command]],<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33881|date=8 November 1932|page=7085}}</ref> and was promoted to [[Brevet (military)|brevet]] major in early January 1936.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34239|date=3 January 1936|page=54}}</ref> In February 1935 he then became a [[brigade major]] with the [[13th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|13th Infantry Brigade]], then commanded by [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] [[John Priestman (British Army officer)|John Priestman]] and was sent to [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] during the [[1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine|Arab revolt]] there.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34131|date=8 February 1935|page=918}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34359|date=12 January 1937|page=265}}</ref> Relinquishing this position in February 1937,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34370|date=12 February 1937|page=997}}</ref> to Major Manley James, one of his fellow students at Camberley, he was promoted to permanent major in August 1937.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34427|date=17 August 1937|page=5267}}</ref> From 1938 to 1940, he was Chief Instructor of the Senior Officers' School of the British Military Mission to the Egyptian Army, and was promoted to the local rank of [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|lieutenant colonel]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34536|date=29 July 1938|page=4880}}</ref>

==Second World War==
During the [[Second World War]], Nichols served with a mixed formation known as [[Habforce]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Ophelia – Operations & Codenames of WWII|url=http://codenames.info/operation/ophelia/|website=codenames.info|accessdate=7 June 2022}}</ref> which forced a successful conclusion to the [[Anglo-Iraqi War]]. He later commanded the 1st Battalion, [[Essex Regiment]], then serving as part of the [[23rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|23rd Brigade]] of [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[Ronald Scobie]]'s [[70th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|70th Infantry Division]], during [[Operation Crusader]], in November 1941.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=233}} In late January 1942, shortly before the battalion departed for [[British Raj|India]], he took command of the [[151st Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|151st Infantry Brigade]], part of the [[50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division]], and in late June commanded the [[10th Indian Infantry Division]], whereby he was promoted to the acting rank of major-general.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=35740|date=9 October 1942|page=4431|supp=y}}</ref><ref name=dk/>

From July 1942 he succeeded Major General [[William Ramsden (British Army officer)|William Ramsden]] as [[General Officer Commanding]] (GOC) of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, leading it in the [[First Battle of El Alamein]], the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] in late October and in the [[Tunisian campaign]] at the [[Battle of the Mareth Line]] in March 1943, where it formed part of [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General]] [[Oliver Leese|Sir Oliver Leese]]'s [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)|XXX Corps]]. However, he was relieved of his command in mid-April 1943 by [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]], the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British Eighth Army]] commander, blamed for his division's relatively poor performance during the battle, although the blame was more a faulty plan than it was Nichols's fault.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=233}} He was succeeded as GOC 50th Division by one of Montgomery's protegees, Major General [[Sidney Kirkman]], an artilleryman who, like Horrocks, had been at the Staff College alongside Nichols in the year below during Nichols's second year and more importantly was one of Montgomery's many protégés.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=233}} For his services in the Middle East Nichols was twice [[mentioned in despatches]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=35316|date=17 October 1941|page=6089|supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36065|date=22 June 1943|page=2853|supp=y}}</ref>

He later commanded the [[182nd (2nd Warwickshire) Brigade|182nd Infantry Brigade]], part of Major-General [[Charles Wainwright (British Army officer)|Charles Wainwright]]'s [[61st Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|61st Infantry Division]], in the United Kingdom from November 1943, being made a temporary brigadier the following month, and a lieutenant colonel in mid-January 1944<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36332|date=14 January 1944|page=343|supp=y}}</ref> He also commanded the [[Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force]] from March to July 1945. In August 1945 he took command of the [[114th Brigade (United Kingdom)|114th Infantry Brigade]] (formerly the [[211th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|211th Infantry Brigade]]).{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=233}}<ref name=dk/>

==Postwar==
He retired from the army as a colonel,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=38378|date=10 August 1948|page=4513|supp=y}}</ref> although he had attained the rank of acting major general during his military career and most sources state he was a brigadier. He died on 7 February 1954 at [[Aldershot]], [[Hampshire]], at the relatively young age of 57.

Nick Smart writes that the, "rise and fall of 'Crasher' Nichols was due, no doubt, to a variety of factors. But what his wartime trajectory demonstrates was the importance of patronage in making or breaking an officer's career. An 'old desert hand', he had shown himself 'a brave and honourable soldier'. His 'failure' at Mareth may have been due to his own shortcomings, as Montgomery, by this time enraptured by his own 'left hook' success, expressed with such emphatic authority. But the alternative possibility, that too much was demanded of him and his Division and that blame for the failure of the frontal attack lay higher up the chain of command, has scarcely had an airing. Later in the war, Leese, Nichols' corps commander at Mareth, had to, as he put it, 'carry the can for Dickie ([[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|Mountbatten]])'. The possibility remains that Leese withdrew his patronage from Nichols because, embarrassed by his own failure, he needed someone to carry his can."{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=233−234}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last1=Converse|first1=Alan|title=Armies of Empire: The 9th Australian and 50th British Divisions in Battle 1939–1945|date=2011|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0521194808}}
*{{cite book| first=Nick| last=Smart| title=Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War| isbn=1844150496| year=2005| location=Barnesley| publisher=Pen & Sword}}

==External links==
*[http://www.generals.dk/general/Nichols/John_Sebastian/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Thomas Wynford Rees|Thomas Rees]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[10th Indian Infantry Division|GOC 10th Indian Infantry Division]]|years=June–July 1942}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alan Bruce Blaxland|Alan Blaxland]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[William Ramsden (British Army officer)|William Ramsden]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division|GOC 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division]]|years=1942–1943}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Sidney Kirkman]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, John}}
[[Category:1896 births]]
[[Category:1954 deaths]]
[[Category:British Indian Army officers]]
[[Category:Border Regiment officers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:British Army generals of World War II]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine]]
[[Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley]]
[[Category:Officers of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:People educated at Eton College]]
[[Category:People from Harrogate]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the War Cross (Greece)]]
[[Category:Royal Lincolnshire Regiment officers]]
[[Category:British Army brigadiers of World War II]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Yorkshire]]