Nathaniel was a member of the Darwen Corps of the St. John Ambulance Brigade who offered their services for the front. He enlisted on 8th August 1914, then proceeded to Aldershot. He was 37 years and 7 months old; was a Taper/Labourer by trade, and was living at 75 Hannah Street, Darwen at the time. He entered the war in France on 21st August 1914 with the 19th Field Ambulance but was taken prisoner at Landrecies on 26th August, during the retreat from Mons. His experiences as a POW is highlighted in an article written on Saturday, 10th July 1915 in the Blackburn Weekly Telegraph, titled “Prison Life in Germany - Darwen Soldier on his Experiences’, which can be read on 7955 Pte James Walsh’s profile. Nathaniel was repatriated on 30th June 1915, then remained in the UK until 21st July when he was sent to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force as a reinforcement. He appears to have spent most of his time (if not all of his time), from 21st July 1915 until 7th April 1916, on the Hospital Ship ‘Britannic’ - he was admitted as a patient on 28th February 1915, suffering from inflammation of the nose, being discharged on the 9th March. He then received a Certificate of Training from the matron of the ship, dated 5th April 1916. From 7th April 1916 he was stationed in the UK, before being transferred to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on the 18th. He embarked at Southampton on the 19th April, then disembarked at Basra on 16th May 1916. On the 8th June though, he was admitted into No 3 British General Hospital, suffering from Malaria, and remained there until 17th July when he was invalided to India, entering No 133 British General Hospital. On 20th April 1917, he joined the British Details Depot at Bangalore, and was posted for duty with the Hislop War Hospital at Secunderabad on the 28th. He served there until 19th September 1918, when he proceeded to the R.A.M.C. Depot at Deolali, India, being struck off the strength of the 9th Division. Having been at the Depot for 4 days he was again admitted into hospital, where he remained until 16th October when he was posted to No 38 Coy for duty. He remained with the Company until 22nd February 1919, when he was posted to serve with the Hospital Ship “Syria” for temporary duty. On 4th April 1919 he began his journey en route back to the UK, arriving on 2nd May. On 30th May, he was demobilized and transferred to the Reserve - Class Z. Nathaniel was the husband of Margaret Jane Kirkham (Nee Armstrong) [Photograph and information about the Darwen Corps of the St. John Ambulance Brigade courtesy of Tony Foster]