Lance Corporal Clifford Nicholls Oates
- Rank
- Lance Corporal
- Service number
- 1025
- Unit
- 32 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Fleurbaix, France
- Date of death
- 20 July 1916
- Age
- 23
- Plaque number
- M346
- Co-located plaques
- M346A - PTE Percy Anderson
- Dedicated by
- Mother on 3 August 1919
- More information
Clifford Nicholls Oates was born in Burra, South Australia in 1893 to parents Philip and Mary Nichols who were married in Iron Side, South Australia near Burra in July 1885.
Clifford was one of six siblings with four brothers and one sister.
It is unknown when the family moved to Western Australia, it is believed to be after the birth of their youngest daughter who was born in 1895 at Burra.
The family moved to Victoria Park where Clifford’s father worked as a carrier.
In April 1903 Clifford’s father died from a fever, aged 41 years. Clifford was aged ten at the time with the family moving to West Leederville.
Clifford attended Perth Boys Central School and on completing school was employed by Messrs Dalgety & Co at Fremantle as an auctioneer.
He served in the 11 Infantry, Citizen Military Forces for 12 months.
Clifford enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in August 1915, conducting his training at Blackboy Hill, where he was attached to 32 Battalion.
This battalion was to be made up with two companies from Western Australia and with two companies from South Australia where the battalion was formed.
Clifford was allocated to C Company, embarking from Adelaide in November 1915 arriving in Suez Egypt in December 1915.
In May 1916 Clifford was promoted to Lance Corporal before embarking from Alexandria for the Western Front in June 1916.
Arriving in Marseilles France, Clifford with the battalion was transported by train to an area near Hazebrouck in northern France in preparation for the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916.
On 19 July 1916 just before 6pm, Clifford with his battalion climbed over the trench parapets to attack the heavily defended German trenches to capture Fromelles.
Clifford’s company, C with A company formed the first and second waves where B and D companies of 32 battalion formed the third and fourth waves of the attack.
At the commencement of the attack the Australians sustained heavy casualties from the German machine guns.
Clifford’s fate during the initial assault is unknown as there were no witnesses or reports of him even making it to the German trenches.
Initial reports recorded his fate as wounded in action, which his mother received notification of this in August 1916.
This was followed up in September 1916 with his fate now recorded as killed in action.
Lance Corporal Clifford Nichols Oates service number 1025 of 32 battalion was killed in action on 20 July 1916 at Fromelles, France. He was 23 years of age.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Memorial at VC Corner Australian Military Cemetery, Fromelles, France.
His plaque is placed alongside Private Percy Michael Anderson of 32 Battalion, who served with Clifford and died on the same day.
Clifford’s eldest brother who was in South Africa at the outbreak of the Great war enlisted into the South African Army. Clifford’s sister Gladys married a Captain Percival John Rillstone who was attached to 48 Battalion.