David Graham McNicholl (1883-1917)
Yorkshireman commanded the 20th DLI and awarded DSO
David Graham McNicholl (known in the Army as Graham), the son of David and Margaret McNicholl, was born in Eccleshall Bierlow, Yorkshire, on 1 January 1883. He had two brothers and five sisters and after going to secondary school in Sheffield, went to work in an electro-plating works.
On 29 August 1914 he enlisted in the Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment. On 2 April 1915 was made a temporary 2nd lieutenant. He was promoted to temporary lieutenant in October on transfer to the 20th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI) and promoted to temporary captain in December. On 5 May 1916 he landed in Europe and was promoted to temporary major in July and in September was involved in the Battle of Delville Wood on the Somme when he was wounded, awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and mentioned in despatches. In July 1917 he was appointed temporary lieutenant-colonel and given command of the 26th (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers.
On 20 September he was mortally wounded in the Battle of the Menin Road and was buried in the Reninghelst New Military Cemetery at Poperinge in Belgium the following day.
The award of the DSO was gazetted on 1 January 1917 and the citation reads:
“He displayed great courage and coolness in establishing strong points in the Delville Wood on the night of 11-12 September 1916, and in leading his company on the 15th successfully to attack Flers”.
Birth date: 1-Jan-1883
Death date: 20-Sep-1917
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 285 Abbeydale Road, Ecclesall Bierlow, Sheffield, Yorkshire (1891 census)
53 Woodstock Road, Ecclesall Bierlow, Sheffield, Yorkshire (1901 census)
23 Carter Knowle Road, Sheffield (1911 census & England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1917)
Education: Central Secondary School, Sheffield, Yorkshire
Employment: Warehouseman (1901 census)
Warehouse Clerk in Electro-Plating Works (1911 census)
Family: Father: David McNicholl
Mother: Margaret McNicholl (nee Duncan)
Siblings: Annie, Janie, John, Lakie, Elsie, Catherine & Malcolm David McNicholl
Military service:
20th Battalion Durham Light Infantry & Royal Fusiliers
Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel
Medal(s): Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Dispatches
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium
Gender: Male
Contributed by John Edwards
