Restored WWI jacket goes on display
When Foxton man Charles James Nelson left home in 1916, he had no idea if he would ever return.
After voluntarily signing up to fight for “King and Country”, the 5-foot-7 (1.7m), blueeyed soldier embarked on an arduous journey towards the frontlines of World War I.
Part of New Zealand’s Expeditionary Forces and now a private, Nelson joined the rifle brigade and departed from Wellington on March 4 that year on the troopship Willochra.
He arrived in Egypt a little more than a month later. Three days after this, he boarded another ship and journeyed across the Mediterranean Sea to France – a remarkable and exciting journey.
He eventually landed at Étaples camp, near the estuary of the Canche River in
Northern France. Nelson entered the trenches as a rifleman, but soon after, on May 21, was admitted to hospital after contracting German Measles (Rubella). Unlike many others, he somehow recovered from the deadly disease.
After two months and, when he was deemed fit for service, he was sent to fight in the trench warfare on the Western Front. This was close to Thiepval, the site of the Battle of the Somme in which almost 20,000 men died.
Nelson’s grandson, Brendon Judd, said the grounds would have been a forlorn place for his grandfather. “Covered in craters, barbed wire and many rotting corpses; and soon to receive more.”
On September 15, a barrage of artillery was fired at the German troops, and after about 20 minutes the Kiwi soldiers “went over the top” of the trenches and into the fire. Nelson was hit with a bullet going through his chest and out his side.
His diary, which Judd still has today, had an entry on September 16 that read “missing, believed wounded – not cabled”. This meant Nelson’s mother hadn’t been told her son was listed as missing in action.
“Based on what was told to me by my mother, Charlie was shot through his chest – with the bullet entering his left lung and exiting under his left arm,” Judd said.
“This occurred on the 15th, the first day of battle for the brigade. For many, it was their first and last day of battle, with many men killed going over the top.”
Judd said Nelson lost consciousness from shock and blood loss, but miraculously was not killed by any shrapnel.
“According to Charlie, as he was hit and fell, a comrade next to him said ‘he’s had it’ ... there Charlie lay, prostrated on his stomach, eventually losing consciousness.”
Nelson told his wife he recalled hearing stretcher bearers as he lay face down on the ground. “He remembered hearing stretcher-bearers sifting through the bodies say ‘this one’s dead’ when they reached him, but his colleague said ‘roll him over and check’.
“They duly did this and, fortunately, the medic noticed frothy blood emanating from his mouth, and the medic instinctively knew it was a chest wound and Charlie was still alive.”
Nelson was taken for treatment and, ironically, saved by a captured German doctor.
Judd said he was “forever grateful” for this, and it gave him a new-found respect for his enemy.
Nelson went to England on the HS Panama to dedicated military hospitals, and became well-acquainted with the nurses who looked after him. He got their names and addresses – possibly to write or visit them on his release.
“These nurses did a great deal for the wounded men, and it must have improved their morale knowing they could perhaps form a relationship with them should they survive.”
Nelson’s diary also mentioned visits from “King George and Prince George” in August, and later working as a guard of German prisoners.
Nelson left hospital on November 29 and transferred to Codford, Wiltshire, being attached to the New Zealand Command Depot. This gave him time to recover from his wounds.
“During his convalescence, Charlie was docked several days’ pay for drunkenness.
“Faced with the prospect of returning to the front, it’s not unreasonable to expect men to obliterate the past and alleviate the thought to going back with alcohol.”
Nelson, who known for his magic tricks and card skills, was eventually deemed fit and returned to the frontlines on July 22, 1917.
His service records from here were incomplete, but Judd said he returned to action for the next major battle at Messines.
“The British detonated 19 huge mines that were placed under the German trenches by tunnellers, killing approximately 10,000 German soldiers. I assume that Charlie witnessed these explosions and observed the carnage they created.”
The Germans put up a counter-attack using mustard gas. Nelson was a casualty of this.
A service record entry dated July 23 said he was treated at a field dressing station, before he was admitted to hospital on July 26.
“Fortunately, Charlie must have been saved by his gas mask, which is also in my possession, as had the exposure been greater, he most probably would have succumbed – especially after his previous gunshot wound through a lung.”
Nelson was no longer fit for service and discharged in December 1917.
“For Charlie, the war was, in effect, over. Being gassed possibly saved his life in an ironic way, for the next major battle involving the New Zealanders was the infamous Passchendaele offensive, and this claimed the lives of nearly 2000 of our soldiers.”
Nelson returned to Foxton in 1918 and his diary recorded some his voyage.
He was granted a half-pension when he came home, but was told that he could work part-time.
“So, despite being shot, gassed and suffering chronic hearing loss from exposure to shellfire, he was deemed fit enough to return to work, and was set to construction work on the Foxton water tower.
“For his wartime service, he received the Victory and British War Service medals.”
Judd had spent a significant amount of time learning about his grandfather’s history, and this included restoring Nelson’s WWI uniform jacket.
With the help of Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom heritage librarian Kiri Pepene, the jacket would now be permanently on display in Nelson’s home town.
Judd gifted the jacket to the museum after a ceremony yesterday, where Nelson’s descendants gathered. He told the small crowd of his grandfather’s achievements, and through tears thanked those who came.
He said the jacket was a “tangible link” to the past and “must be considered a historical treasure”.
Pepene was proud to be able to display the jacket in the library’s heritage room.
She had worked with Judd on the project for about 18 months and said it was “surreal” finally being able to display the memorabilia.
She also felt it was important people knew that while so many men didn’t return home, some did and they often found that hard.
They came home with memories and experiences they often never spoke about.
Pepene had also written a short story about Nelson’s return home, which she shared with the audience.
“It’s amazing being here today with something that was Charles’.”
Judd said Nelson married his wife Ellen and they raised three children before he died at the age of 81.
“This year marks 50 years since Charlie died, so I think it’s a fitting tribute to a humble man to be remembered in this way in his home town.
“You might be gone, Charlie, but you are lovingly remembered.”