More about Leonard Orrick Nicoll

Leonard Orrick Nicoll was born on 13 September 1894, the son of William Nicoll, a grocer and JP, and his wife Isabella. In April 1912, when he was 17 years old, he went to work for National Bank of Scotland as an apprentice at its Dundee Hilltown branch. He became a clerk there in April 1915 and moved to the bank’s main Dundee branch the following month.

During the First World War Nicoll left the bank to go on military service, and by 1917 he was a Lieutenant in the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), on active service on the Western Front. He was killed in action there on 26 September 1917. He was 23 years old.

Leonard O. Nicoll   Second-Lieutenant   Black Watch

GALLANT DUNDEE OFFICER REPORTED MISSING.

Second-Lieutenant Leonard O. Nicoll, Black Watch, a son of Mr W. S. Nicoll, grocer, Provost Road, Dundee, and a member of the Dundee School Board, has been posted as missing.  He was prior to enlistment in the National Bank, Reform Street, Dundee, and took a keen interest in sports of all kinds.  He is 23 years of age, and had been at the front for eleven months.

Writing to his parents, his commanding officer paid him a fine tribute, referring to him as an officer whose wish was always to be at the head of his men, who, when last seen, was fighting at the nearest point to the German lines.  Three of his brothers are also with the colours, one, Captain Sydney Nicoll, being wounded in Mesopotamia.

Dundee Courier 8th October 1917