182200 Lt. Fred Nicholls MM, Croix de Guerre.British Army 4th Btn. Queens Own Cameron Highlanders from:Chesterfield, Derbyshire. My late father, Fred Nicholls enlisted in the Camerons in 1931, according to his medals, of which I have only his dress set, including his Military Medal and French Croix de Guerre. He had many overseas postings before during and after the war. He was with the 4th Camerons on the Somme in June 1940 as a platoon Sergeant. He had to take command of the platoon when his commanding officer was injured and captured. After they ran out of food and ammunition they were ordered to surrender by their C.O. which they did along with the rest of the 51st Highland Division. After the surrender, the troops where marched toward Germany. According to his own story he stayed with his men until they crossed the Belgian border, it was at this point that he made his first escape. I am in possession of both his own account of his escapes and the official M19 debrief account. Whilst they do differ slightly, broadly speaking one confirms the other. He was incarcerated at St Omer after his 2nd or 3rd recapture. It was there that he met Sgt Andrew Faith of the R.H.A. both of them where like minded and they again escaped. After walking through France they eventually crossed the Pyrenees in to Spain where they were arrested and imprisoned by the Spanish Army. They were later released and eventually repatriated via Gibraltar. After returning to the UK they where both awarded the Military Medal. It was after this that he attained the rank of Lieutenant. I have not got his record of service so where and and when he spent the rest of the war is a little sketchy. However he was posted to Aruba with the Camerons in 1941 and he was seconded to the control commission in Germany. He was demobed in 1947.
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