Edmund Nutter

Son of Abraham and Ellen Nutter, of 158, Hibson Rd., Nelson, England. Native of Brierfield, Lancs.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission >>

Publication and date unknown

Nelson Canadian Killed
Pte. E. Nutter, aged 31 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nutter, of Brunswick-street, Nelson, died from wounds on Monday, the 4th just. Pte. Nutter, who is a plumber by trade, went to Canada four or five years ago; and when the war broke out he joined the Canadian forces. He went to the Front over a year ago, and he has taken part in all the big engagements in which the Canadians have so markedly distinguished themselves. He has had some wonderful escapes from death, but at last he has fallen. He wrote home a wonderfully cheery letter on September 3rd, but this was followed two days later by letter from Rev. A. J. Perry, chaplain of the forces, stating that Pte. Nutter had been brought in wounded and had succumbed to his wounds. He was buried with military honours, and the chaplain offers such consolation as is possible in the circumstances. Pte. Nutter distinguished himself in the fierce encounters whcih the Canadians had with the enemy on the 8th and 9th of last month, when they temporarily lost ground and so splendidly rallied and recovered even more than they had lost. During that engagement Pte. Nutter rescued a number of wounded comrades and carried them across a fire-swept zone for a space of fifty yards until they could be placed under cover, returning, in face of a hot fire, for other wounded men. Of his many narrow escapes from snipers, he recorded one instance. He was in the trenches, with his rifle resting on the parapet ready for use; he turned for a moment to talk to his sergeant, and just at that instant a German sniper's bullet struck the butt of his rifle. The official news of Pte. Nutter's death was received on Wednesday night by his parents at 289, Brunswick-street, Nelson, in a letter from the Canadian Record Office, Green Arbour House, Old Bailey, London. Under date Sept. 12th, the Lieut.-Col. in charge of Records, Canadian Expeditionary Force, wrote:- "It is my painful duty to inform you that a report has this day been received notifying the death of (A36225) Pte. Edmund Nutter, 4th Batt., which occurred at No. 49 Casualty Clearing Station on the 4th September, 1916, and I am to express to you the sympathy and regret of the Militia Council at your loss. The cause of death was gunshot wound in the neck."
Deceased was formerly connected with the Young Men's Society and Sunday School at St. Paul's, Little Marsden; and the young men's class have, through their leader, communicated an expression of their sympathy with the bereaved family.

The War Diary of Edmund Nutter

Covering the dates:
29th August 1915 to 30th August 1916

Arrived at Le Havre, Aug. 29th and stayed in Camp till Sep. 3rd at No 3 Base. We left Le Flurr on the evening of Sept. 3rd and journeyed to Bulford and found a few troop trains containing British and French troops who were on furlough. We gave biscuits and jam to them. They were tittled to death with them.

We had sports when we arrived at Bulford and left for the trenches on Sept. 8th. There was nothing startling the first week we were in Plug Street and we had the best of weather. Everything seemed grand.

This is a great country for Tobacco. The kids smoke here nearly as soon as they can walk. It is amusing to see the tots walking about with a fag in their mouth. Nearly all the villages are destroyed somewhat with shell fire.

On Sept. 12th the enemy tried to fetch down one of our airoplanes but failed.

Sept. 13th Fritz sent over a few shells, two of them burst near enough to make us feel a little uncomfortable.

On the 14th he sent over a few more shells. We left the piggeries same night and stayed til the night of the 20th. I got my first Baptism of fire on the 24th Sept., and it was like a minature hell for a few hours. Fritz was dropping coal boxes etc.

The bombardment had been going on for all night on our R. and Left. I was in a crater at the time, up to my knees in mud. It would have been a speedy exit out of this world if we had stuck our heads above the parapet.

We came out of the trenches on the 26th and had 6 days in Bulford camp for a rest.

We went back again on the night of the 2nd October and was out again on the 8th.

We were trench digging on the tenth of Oct. A rifle grenade burst within 20 yards of me.

On the 11th we walked to Dranoutre for a bath.

On the 12th we were repairing the trenches, and got shelled out. Shells burst on our billets at R.E. Farm, one guy got a slight wound.

On the 13th we pulled off a final attack, and we got pretty well shelled.

We moved into the trenches on the 14th around Dranoutre and had 6 days there. We went into the reserve on the 20th to the 21st and came up in reserve supports on the 26th to the 1st of Nov.

We leave the trenches C.4.

2nd Rained like fun all day, we were down at Wood Farm.

3rd working party.

4th '' '' Very muddy.

5th Bathing Party and working party very muddy.

Sat. 6th Our guns do a little shelling and we go to the front line at night.

7th Nov. Sunday. Trenches cave in, water and mud.

8th Germans send over Shrapnel.

9th quiet and not raining.

10th very wet night trenches wet.

11th in billets again, mud and rain.

12th cold and wet and raining in, in the barn.

13th Rain all day.

14th Go into front line. Church Parade in morning.

15th Monday Rubber boots issued.

16th Tues. quiet, Captain Higginson got killed.

17th Wed, usual thing.

18th Thur. went to Petawason.

19th working parties.

20th get Leather coats.

21st bathing parade, frosty.

Mon. 22nd Cold and dry.

Tues 23rd we go into the front line, things were quiet.

Wed. 24th quiet.

25th Bombing going on both sides.

Friday 26th back to Billets.

Sat. 27th we got a big pay 65 France.

28th Church and bathing parade. Cold and dry.

Mon. 29th nothing to report.

30th Rained like -----, leave for the trenches.

Dec. 1st bombarded Messines, it rained all night, I had a narrow escape.

2nd fine day. Fritz sent over shrapnel.

3rd Trenches are caving in, Fritz sends over rifle grenades.

Dec. 4th Rained like -----, go back to reserve at Wood Farm.

Dec. 5th

Dec. 6th Bathing parade, working party in front of the parapet.

Dec. 7th wet and muddy.

8th Back into the supports.

9th quiet, raining again.

10th Fri. Shelling a little.

11th nothing doing.

12th Sunday. A sergeant got killed and several boys wounded. We leave for Dranoutre same night.
Billets very muddy, No Parades frosty night.

Tues. 14th good shower bath.

Wed. 15th wet and muddy, I was on picket.

16th go to the reserve trenches.

17th quiet.

18th '' ''

Dec. 19th I went down to the base at Baileul for the purpose of getting passed for munitions. I and another fellow was accepted. I was put down as a chemical plumber. When I got back, Tom was on a staff job. The trenches are getting drained a little, and are more cormfortable. We had 4 days at Wood Farm from the 20th to the 24th. Bad weather prevailed all the time we were in the huts. We came from Wood Farm at 3 in the afternoon and arrived up in the front line, in a very muddy condition.

Dec. 24th 1915 We arrived in the trenches about 5 o’clock, and was up most of the night on Sentry go. It was a rotten night, we had the usual weather (wet).

Christmas broke in fine. We had a bum dinner consisting of a Machonies between 3 men.
The Germans were waving their hats at us, and we were retuning the compliments.
This is the queerest Christmas I have ever spent, and I hope the next will be spent in Nelson with you all.
Xmas night was very wet. I was on duty for 2 hours and it rained every minute.

Dec. 26th Decent morning. Our Artillery started strafing the Germans a little. They are just returning the compliments.

Dec. 27th Artillery Duel. Our fellows sent over quite a number of heavy shells doing considerable damage to enemies lines.

Dec. 28th quite a little bombardment along our front, in the evening a bombardment started around La Bassee. Fritz sent over a number of Airial torpedoes from his trench mortars.

Dec. 29th a fleet of 16 airoplanes flew over towards Messines and other points causing Fritz to waste a quantity of scrap iron without doing any damage. We are leaving trenches tonight for Dranoutre.
Arrived in Billets at 6—30 29th

On the 31st I was on Head Quarters guard.

The Batt. went to Bailleul for a feed. We were left without dinner.

1916

New Year eve seems to be wet, which is nothing fresh for this country.

New Years Day Quiet.

2nd January quiet. Church Parade.

3rd Moved to supports.

Jan. 4th We spent a quiet day, there was nothing startling to report. I was on sentry on the supports in C. 4. 2 on and 4 off. We had a parcel came up from one of the fellows and ate the contents. The trenches are still in a bad state. We are going out for 3 weeks to a place beyond Bailleul and will be relieved by the 42nd and the 49th, the C.R.C. and the P.P.C.L.I. Rain continued through the night.

On the 5th Jan, the sun shone, which seems a novelty out here in Belgium at this time of year.
Our Artillery have been strafing a little all day and the enemy have replied. We are expecting a gas attack along our front line in the near future.

On the 6th, there was a slight bombardment, we lost a couple of fellows out of C. Co. It was a very windy night.

On the 7th we got shelled a little towards the middle of the afternoon. I received word to get ready for the purpose of going to England as a munition maker, and left the same afternoon for Dranoutre.

On the 8th I left Dranoutre for Bailleul end entrained there at 12 o’clock
We reached Bologne at 10 in the evening and stayed overnight in the side door pullman in which we are travelling. The weather is nice around here today.

We arrived at Le Havre at just about 1—30 on the 10th, and marched up to No. 1 Base camp at 3—30. They have an ideal site for a camp up here, high and dry, overlooking the sea.

On the 11th a Battalion of Tyneside Scots. We are around here waiting to see a guy down town who is putting us through a test.

Jan 12th, The Tynesiders are leaving for up the line today. Yesterday some of the fellows who drew blankets here to sloop in, put them outside in the fresh air, and the blankets started to walk away. I did not draw any blankets.

We left Rouelles Camp on the 11th April. There was a bunch of Australians on the same train, some of them had been on the Peninsular. They are around this district. We are at present holding a place near Ypres. I was on guard at one end of the International trench which has been lost and won seven times, and believe me it is some trench. I guess it is up to the knees in mud.

I landed up here on the night of the 13th April and I witnessed a bombing attack at about 3 on the following morning, which was Friday.

I saw another attack on Sat, morning the 14th at 5 past 3 o’clock and it was some sight. I think we are leaving the trenches tonight 15th for Poperinghe for 8 days.

17th I met Bob Payne this afternoon in Poperinghe. We are going out tonight on a working party. I found out Stephen Dixons Batt., and expect to see him when they come in. Frank Harrington is in the 3rd C.G’s.
This is a decent little town.

I heard the Coldstream Band on the 18th, and we had a Batt. concert on last night.

The 19th I was inoculated and I feel a sick baby today the 20th.

There is no stirring on the 21st, but on the 22nd a bombardment is going on to the left of Poperinghe.

We left billets for the Blge. reserve on the evening of the 23rd and had some hike. I went sprawling into a bunch of mud and water, but arrived up safe and dirty.

We have nice weather today the 24th and there is a bombardment going on.
There was a bombardrmnL going on early this morning.

We had the usual strafing on the 25th and 26th, and on the 27th. At about 7 o’clock the Germans blew up a mine, behind the lines that the 2nd Canadians were holding. The Artillery on both sides opened up, and we were called out by our Officers to get up to give a hand to the second as the Huns were coming over. We went there but how we managed to get through there without any accidents the Lord only knows. Shot and shell. were flying fast and more than once we had near shaves.

When we got up we found that the second were holding out, and everything was O.K. The mine killed a lot of the second Batt. men and wounded a bunch more. We came back again and everything quietened down.

We went on a working party on the 28th, and a high explosive burst a little way off us but we didn't suffer from it although we were a little uncomfirtable at the time.

Some of our Airoplanes had a scrap in mid air but no damage was done.

On the 29th April there was a bombing attack on our right.

The morning of the 30th at about 1 o'clock Fritz sent over gas on our right and there was large bombing attack pulled off. Fritz turned a machine gun on us, as we were going out on a working party but no damage was done as out luck was in. He shelled us as we were working and we had to quit.

The 1st May burst upon us very fine, and Fritz opened up on us in the afternoon. He sure did get saucy for a while.
We came into the trenches at Hill 60 at about 10 o'clock in the evening. We passed Zellabule Hall on the way up.
Our Artillery gave Fritz a bit of his own during the night.

We had a heavy thunderstorm this morning on the second and it lasted about half an hour.

Spring must be here as we heard the cuckoo, and the other birds are singing in the branches.

There was nothing startling on the 3rd till evening when a mine was blown up. We were making dug outs in the wood. I heard some pheasant in the brush.

On the 4th there was nothing startling going on.

The 5th was quiet and also the 6th.

I met cousin Albert on the 7th.

We came out for a rest on the 9th to the Dominion Huts.

I went for a three days course on the 10th to the Anti Gas School.

One of our Airoplanes was brought down on the 16th close to here in the morning.

Fritz was dropping bombs just outside of our Billets at midnight. He cmae over again today about noon and dropped two more bombs about 500 yards away from our billets.

We are going in to Dickie bush huts tonight in Brigade supports for 8 days.
We are having some nice weather just now. There was nothing startling down in the huts the time we were there.

We left on the night of the 27th for the bluff, and believe me she is some hot place. Each night and in the early morning we are subjected to Bomb and Grenade throwing.

On the 28th and 29th the Grenades were letting on either side & behind me, but not near enough to do a great deal of damage.

One fellow in my section got it in the head and stomach. Another four fellows got it a little later. One poor fellow got killed the night before.

On the 30th we were subjected to shell fire, mostly shrapnel and we left the polluck and bean part of the salient the same night for a rest.

We arrived at Connaught lines in the early morning after a long hike. We are having some fine weather just now.

I got a German rifle grenade dud on the 29th of May

We left the lines on the night of the 2nd of June for Dickie bush and left Sickie Bush on the 3rd for supports as some of the Candians were in an attack.

We are here for two days if nothing happens. The Canadians seem to have lost lots of men and Fritz wont have escaped.

He sprung 3 mines on us and I believe the Pats 49th, the C.M.Rs, and the 7th lost heavily. There are bombing attacks going on each night & in the early mornings.

Artillery activity on the 4th and a Bombing attack on a large front.

We went a working party the night of the 5th.

Heavy bombardment on our front in the Salient on the 6th. We are moving farther up the line tonight for a reason.

Our gas opened up a little at 11 o'clock on the 7th. We shall most likely go over the top tonight either at Lorrell Woods or the International trench.

we built a new front line on the 7th at Sanctuary Woods and we came out for a few days rest. We were relieved by some Imperials.

There was nothing doing on the 9th.

We had a bath today the 10th June.

There was Church Parade on the 11th and on the 12th we had wet weather prior to going up the line to take over some trenches as we are going over.

We went up on the night of the 13th and were in supports for the attack, which was pulled off between 1-30 and 2 o'clock on the morning of the 14th.

It was some hot place whilst it lasted. We were supporting the 13th Batt.

The 3rd Batt. was the first over and they penetrated the German's front line as well. The German prisoners were mostly between 17 and 15 years old. There were a few old stagers as well.

They left all kinds of jars and rations behind and seemed glad to be taken prisoners. I believe it was easy as shelling peas taking the lines back which took just over 1/2 hour.

One of the 13th men took prisoners in a counter attack that the Germans made, and he was buried with a shell. The prisoners were not going to lose their escort, so they dug him out, and brought them safely out.

We got particularly well shelled for the 48 hours that we were in, and we lost a bunch of men as we had to hold the trenches after they were taken.

We consolidated the position and held it intact.

We are now resting and are all in.

We looked a sorry bunch coming into camp on the morning of the 15th June.

We are resting a while at J lines. We were plastered with mud.

There was quite a number of casualties amongst our Batt.

Nothing to report on the 15th and 16th.

We had a route march on the 17th.

There was nothing on the 18th and we came up the trenches on the 19th.

Everything around here is dead.

I left on the morning of the 6th for a course in trench mortars. I saw 15 of our planes go over to Fritz's lines and I believe they set fire to 4 of his balloons on the night of the 6th.

On the 7th nothing to report.

On the 8th we reported to our unit as we are leaving on the 9th for special training for dirty work, and finished up with close order drill.

I was a little feverish during the day and went sick at night. I was excused duty on the 15th.

There is nothing much to write about up to the 25th except drill and manouvres.

On the 25th we had a sham battle.

On the 26th we went for a bath. we have had fine weather diring our stay at Zouae Ques Z11 fls.

we left this place on the 28th and arrived at 2am Le Chateaux on the 29th.

We marched to Hagon-ville and billeted for the night.

We left this place on the 30th at 10 o'clock in motor buses and after we left we proceeded to Albert on foot. This is the place where the Virgin hangs over the place. We had a heavy rain storm on our way down to Albert. We met an Australian Div. here.