John's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Son of the late William Nixon and of Mary J. Nixon, of Moreton House, Gawsworth.
MILITARY SERVICE
The death of Rifleman John Nixon was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 20 September 1918:
Miss Nixon, of Broken Cross, has been notified of the death in action in France of her brother, Rifleman John Nixon, London Regt. Twenty years of age, he enlisted over twelve months ago, and after training was drafted out to France. He was gassed on Sept 9th and, pneumonia supervening, he succumbed at a Canadian clearing station on Sept 11th. Pte Nixon was educated at Gawsworth School, from where he won a scholarship to the Macclesfield Grammar School, where he distinguished himself, gaining honours in the Cambridge Senior Local Examination. On leaving school he obtained an appointment in the Civil Service, and a very promising career has been untimely ended. His sister is a teacher at Mill Street Higher Grade School, Macclesfield.
COMMEMORATION
Rifleman John Nixon is buried in grave ref. V. H. 58. at Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, France. His mother asked for the inscription “HE IS SAFE IN GOD'S KEEPING” to be added to his headstone. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Rifleman John Nixon, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
Locally, Rifleman John Nixon is commemorated on the Macclesfield Grammar School, Gawsworth St James Church and Gawsworth Church Lane war memorials. Elsewhere he is commemorated on the London Civil Service Rifles war memorial at Somerset House.
SOURCES
Lives of the First World War website
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Macclesfield Times: 20 September 1918
Research by Rosie Rowley, Macclesfield.