A FORMER army captain from Alresford who died during the First World War was honoured in a special ceremony at Winchester West Hill Cemetery with a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone 102 years after he died.

Captain John Henry Nicholson, of the Army Ordnance Department, died aged 51 at 7.30am on November 6, 1915, at Avington Park Camp, Hampshire, when he accidentally shot himself while cleaning his own revolver before going on duty.

At the time, authorities never reported his death to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This meant Capt Nicholson was never given a commission headstone or remembered on the roll of honour.

However, thanks to his great-grandson, David Nicholls, who researched his death and brought it to the attention of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Capt Nicholson can now be commemorated by the commission.

Born in the Alresford, Capt Nicholson joined the army when he was 19. Throughout his career as a professional soldier, Capt Nicholson was also a Senior Warrant Officer and Company Sergeant Major in the Royal Artillery, until he started working for the Army Ordnance Department.

He married Alice Benson in 1889 and they had seven children – Grace, Sidney, May, Hilda, Kenneth, Cyril and Elsie.

Tragically, the Nicholsons lost two daughters – Grace to scarlet fever when she was only seven years old and two-year-old May to diphtheria.

Les Kibble, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s regional manager for the South East, said: “We are always honoured to be able to commemorate those who died during both world wars and to make sure they are remembered for their sacrifice – whether their death was on the battlefields abroad or here on home soil.

“Now that John has a commission headstone, everyone who comes to visit this cemetery will know he fought for his country and that he should always be remembered for that.”

David Nicholls added: “We are very grateful to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for helping us get my great-grandfather a commission headstone.

“According to press reports at the time of his death, John Henry was a well-known and respected officer in both Colchester Garrison and the wider community. He was a devout Christian, a Presbyterian, and an active member of Lion Walk Church, Colchester.

“During his previous posting of three years in Hong Kong, he was involved with building a mission there. On a lighter side, my great-grandfather was also a keen sportsman, capable of beating much younger men at tennis when he was 50 years old.”

The ceremony in Winchester took place on November 2.