New Zealand WW1 BWM To 20402 Pte F E Nickel N.Z.E.F - Sole Entitlement - UK and NZ Home Service
A single, full size WW1 New Zealand Silver British War Medal to 20402 Private Frederick Edward Nickel of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
Fred's details are correctly imprinted on the rim of his BWM.
He was a Cheesemaker prior to WW1, aged 30, and married, with two children.
He list his address as Midhurst (a small village in Taranaki, North Island, NZ, approximately 4 km north of Stratford, on State Highway 3). He lists his wife's address as also being Midhurst (his parents are listed as "unknown" on his attestation papers) and he was born in Patea (a town in South Taranaki, NZ).
Fred starts his service on the 2nd of May 1916, initially with B Coy, 16th Infantry Reinforcements, but about 10 days later, is transferred to J Coy, 16th Reinforcements.
Fred proceeds overseas on the 20th of Aug 1916, and is initially attached, when he arrives in the UK, to the 1st Battalion, Wellington Infantry Regiment at Sling on the 16th of Oct 1916.
Sadly Fred is evacuated out of camp, to Codford No. 3 Hospital, and is classed as no longer War fit, due to previous disability. He is diagnosed with chronic Rheumatism, which apparently his medical board papers indicate that he has had for 5 years prior in New Zealand.
He is returned to NZ on the 7th of March 1917 and is discharged on the 3rd of April 1917.
He spent 199 days overseas, and as he did NOT travel to France, so was not entitled to a Victory Medal. Therefore this BWM is his sole entitlement, but it does mention in his file that he also got a service scroll.
In December 1917, Fred re-enlists, but this time is classed as "C2" fit..... so "Unfit for active service beyond sea's, but fit for service of some nature in New Zealand".
So it seems that Fred may have continued serving at home until the end of the war.
Fred's medal is in good condition, with light wear.