William Nicholls (Royal Marines officer)
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General Sir William Charles Nicholls, KCB (25 February 1854 – 1 December 1935) was a Royal Marines officer who served as Adjutant-General Royal Marines.
25 February 1854
Sir William Nicholls | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Charles Nicholls 25 February 1854 Greenwich, London |
| Died | 1 December 1935 (aged 81)[1] East Dean, Wiltshire, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Marines |
Service years | 1872–1916 |
Rank | General |
| Commands | Adjutant-General Royal Marines |
Conflicts | Anglo-Zulu War First World War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
Military career
Educated at Cheltenham College, Nicholls was commissioned into the Royal Marine Artillery on 15 July 1872.[2] He saw action in South Africa in 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu War.[3] He became Deputy Adjutant-General at Headquarters, Royal Marine Forces in June 1911.[4] At that time the Deputy Adjutant-General was the professional head of the Royal Marines.[5] His post was redesignated Adjutant-General Royal Marines in early 1914[6][7] shortly before the Gallipoli landings, in which the Royal Marine Forces took a prominent role, in June 1915 during the First World War.[8] He retired in June 1916.[9]