Medal & Mortality index
The Military Cross was instituted as a Decoration on December 28th, 1914, to
reward Distinguished Services rendered by Officers of certain ranks in the army
in time of war. Bars may be added for additional acts of gallantry. Since August
1st, 1918, it has, like the D.S.O., been awarded for "services in action" only.
Nidd, Capt. H. H. ; Military Cross, (_Died_).
Nidd, Capt. H. H., M.C. ; Died of Sickness contracted during the war; 4.3.19
The battalion marched east along a good road recently made for military
purposes, and eventually reached Hill 70, where the headquarters were
established. Early next morning, garrisons marched out before the heat of the
day to occupy a series of posts arranged in semi-circular formation between two
inundations about three miles apart. "B" Company took over Turk Top and No. 1
Post. Capt. Smedley, Capt. Brian Norbury, 2nd-Lt. C. B. Douglas, 2nd-Lt. Pell-Ilderton
being at the former, while Capt. J. R. Creagh, 2nd-Lt. Hacker, and later 2nd-Lt.
Gresty took charge of the latter. "C" Company were divided between Nos. 2 and 3
posts, with Lt. Nasmith and 2nd-Lt. S. J. Wilson at No. 2, and Lt. Nidd and Lt.
Marshall at No. 3. "A" Company, who were responsible for Hill 70, was commanded
by Capt. Tinker assisted by 2nd-Lt's. Kay, Woodward, Wood and Wilkinson. The
officers comprising headquarters were Lt.-Col. Canning, C.M.G., Capt. Cyril
Norbury (second in command), Major Scott (Quartermaster), Capt. Farrow, M.C.
(Medical Officer), Lt. H. C. Franklin, M.C., Adjutant and 2nd-Lt. Bateman
(Signal Officer), while 2nd-Lt. J. Baker was in charge of the Lewis guns of the
battalion. "D" Company were at Hill 40 in a reserve position under the command
of Capt. Higham supported by Capt. Townson, 2nd-Lt's. Grey Burn, G. W. F.
Franklin, Ross-Bain, Gresty, Morten, and R. J. R. Baker. The work of the
transport was divided between Capt. Ward-Jones, and 2nd-Lt. M. Norbury.
The battalion was augmented slightly at this stage by a draft from England,
while 2nd-Lt's. W. H. Barratt and W. Thorp returned from leave. Lt. H. C.
Franklin, M.C., one-time R.S.M., went into hospital and was invalided to
England, and his place as Adjutant was taken by Capt. J. R. Creagh, a position
he filled admirably for more than two years. Captains C. Norbury and B. Norbury
left the battalion about this time to obtain appointments in England and France
and this entailed a change in Company Commanders. Captains Tinker and Higham
continued to command "A" and "D" Companies, Lt. H. H. Nidd was given "B"
Company, and Captain Chadwick "C" Company. 2nd-Lt. G. W. Franklin assisted the
Adjutant in the Orderly Room, while 2nd-Lt. F. Grey Burn was employed as "Camel
Officer;" new work brought about by the substitution of camel for wheeled
transport. The bulk of the latter remained at Kantara under 2nd-Lt. M. Norbury,
with Capt. Ward Jones in charge of the Brigade transport; their duties
consisting chiefly in bringing rations, etc., across the canal from the main
station on the E.S.R. and loading them on the trains which ran over the desert.
Wheeled transport could not be employed in the desert stations as roads had not
been constructed.
Nightfall found us still travelling, and the day of 24th March had almost broken
before we "debussed" to find ourselves in the devastated area of the Somme
lands, near the village of Ayette. There was no rest to be had. Uncertainty as
to the situation in front and also as to the future possibilities necessitated
an immediate adoption of tactical positions, and the 127th brigade took up a
defensive line, on an outpost principle, to cover the ground between
Ablainzevelle and Courcelles. Until this had been achieved no man was able to
turn his thoughts to sleep, in fact the sun had been up some hours before this
was possible. The day produced a complexity of events in the handling of which
Col. Bromfield proved himself to be at once human and masterful. In the first
place, a "battle surplus" had to be decided upon. This was a small group of
officers and men, selected as far as possible from each rank and from each type
of specialists, who remained behind the line whilst the battalion was in action.
In the event of the battalion being obliterated by casualties, they would form
the nucleus of a new unit. Choice generally fell upon those who were considered
due for a rest from the line. When the necessary officers and men had been
abstracted the Company Commanders were Capt. Tinker, "A," Capt. Nidd, "B,"
2nd-Lt. Harland, "C," and Capt. J. Baker, "D." Headquarters comprised the C.O.,
Capt. J. R. Creagh, Adjutant; Lt. C. S. Wood, Signals; and Lt. S. J. Wilson,
I.O.; while Capt. Philp, the M.O., and Padre Hoskyns were in confident control
of aid post arrangements.
When the brigade moved out into reserve the 7th had to dig themselves into the
earth near Chateau-de-la-Haie north of Sailly-au-Bois. In less than twenty-four
hours small groups of men had made a hole for themselves, covered it with an
elephant shelter, and camouflaged it with sods. It was heavy work while it
lasted, but it was necessary to work quickly because of hostile aircraft. A
neighbouring battery of 60-pounders were righteously indignant at our invasion,
but still the staff said we were to go there, and there we went. On the other
hand it was by no means comforting to realise that once the Hun spotted the
60-pounders we should be partakers in the unwelcome attention that would
probably follow, so we were quits anyhow. Luckily the enemy did not see us, or
he was displaying a lofty contempt, for after five day's residence the battalion
moved up into the line at Gommecourt, having had no mishap. During this period
our lists of "Bucquoy decorations" came through, and they were very gratifying.
In addition to the M.C's. already mentioned, Capt. Nidd and 2nd-Lt. Harland were
similarly rewarded for their work as company commanders. Sgt. McHugh, who had
acted as C.S.M. of "C" company, received a bar to his M.M., and Sgt. Heath, who
had died of wounds, was decorated in like manner. Twenty-four other men received
the Military Medal, their names being recorded in the appendix at the end of the
book.
The 127th brigade were given camp areas around Henu, divisional headquarters
being at Pas. We made the most of these May weeks, filled with delightful
sunshine, and, as events worked out, it was as well we did, for it was the last
long rest period we were to get until after the armistice. Important changes
took place in the battalion about this time. Major Higham and Capt. Townson,
both pre-war officers of the 7th, severed their active service connection with
us by being invalided to England, the former's place being taken by Major Rae of
the Liverpool Scottish. Amongst a draft of officers that we received from a
division that had been broken on the fifth army front was Capt. Allen, M.C.,
whose original unit was the 6th Manchesters. He was put in command of A"
company. R.S.M. Anlezark, of the 1st battalion, was posted to us for duty, and
A/R.S.M. Clough succeeded R.Q.M.S. Ogden, who had returned to England after a
long period of hard and useful work with the 7th. It was not many weeks after
this period of rest that another long-standing and popular officer was lost to
the 7th; this was Capt. Nidd, M.C. We had always known that his grit and
determination exceeded his physical capacity, but his splendid sense of duty led
him to ignore this fact, although it was common knowledge that had he so wished
he could have been invalided out of the army long before. After severe trials on
Gallipoli, a campaign he went through from June to the evacuation (he was one of
the very few men to whom that evacuation was irksome), he had had a relapse in
hospital in Egypt for some weeks. The Bucquoy fight, however, had proved too
much for him, and he never really recovered from the ill-effects of it. This was
accentuated by the death of two of his near and dear friends--Lt. W. Thorp for
whom, as one of his subalterns, he had a particular esteem, and Capt. Tinker.
The latter was a pre-war officer of the 7th, while Thorp had gone out to the
Sudan in the ranks, served through Gallipoli with distinction (vide Major
Hurst's book) and then received a commission early in 1916. Capt. Tinker's
record with the battalion was one of steady confidence. After being invalided to
England from a wound received on Gallipoli, he rejoined in Egypt in Feb. 1916,
and was immediately given command of "A" company. From that day he had always
been amongst us, and, except when on leave or on a course, he was with his
company, in the line or out of it. In fact, it was a record of "full steam
ahead" until the day he was killed amongst his men. What Tinker was to "A" so
was Nidd to "B" company, and his greatest regret, when at last hospital claimed
him, was in leaving the men whom he knew so well. His departure was followed by
a long illness, and it was a great blow to his friends to hear of his death
after the armistice in his own home at Cheadle Hulme. His name can be added to
the long list of victims of the great German offensive in March.