Athol Nevin, known as both Athol Clarence Nevin and Athol Tennyson Nevin, was born to Thomas James "Sonny" Nevin ((1874-1948) and Gertrude Tennyson Bates (1883-1958) at Launceston, Tasmania on 26 October, 1915. He would have known his grandfather, photographer Thomas Nevin who died in 1923 but not his grandmother Elizabeth Nevin who died in 1914.
In 1920 Athol C. Nevin travelled with his parents to California aboard the
S.S. Ventura and returned to Sydney in 1922 aboard the
S.S. Sonama. He was listed as a passenger aged 9 yrs in 1920, a citizen of England, which would put his date of birth ca. 1911, but his war record states he was born in 1915. In 1922 on the voyage home he was also listed as a British national.
In 1936 Athol was living in Hobart with his mother Gertrude Nevin nee Tennyson Bates and working as a pastry cook. The Electoral Rolls listed him then with the middle name of "CLARENCE", i.e. Athol Clarence Nevin, but by 1940 when he enlisted in the Australian Army, he had married Winifred Aird and adopted his mother's father's middle name TENNYSON as his middle name. He was discharged from the Army in October 1945, having seen extensive warfare with the 2/8 Field Regiment in Egypt and Syria, in the Middle East, and on Borneo, in the Pacific. The 2/8 FR was one of the 9th Division’s three field regiments and it fought as part of the “famous division” at El Alamein and Brunei Bay.
His father, Thomas James "Sonny" Nevin died in 1948. By 1949, Athol and Winifred Nevin were living in Melbourne and he was working as a storeman (see Electoral Roll for Mitcham, Vic. below).
Noble Numismatics offered seven of his medals at auction (no date). Catalogue Notes:
Auction of British Single Medals from the Tom Hanley Collection (n.d. 1987?)
5137*
Group of Seven: 1939-45 Star;
Africa Star - one bar - 8th Army;
Pacific Star;
Defence Medal 1939-45;
Australia Service Medal 1939-45;
Efficiency Medal (GVIR) - scroll - Australia - one bar.
TX1452 A.T. Nevin on the first six medals,
TX1452 Gnr A.T. Nevin A.M.F. on the seventh medal.
The first six medals impressed, the seventh medal engraved. Very fine.
$350
Gunner Athol Tennyson Nevin,Enl.13 May 1940 Disch.02 Oct 1945.
Australian War Memorial
Australian World War 2 records currently list Athol as ATHOL TENNYSON NEVIN.
WW2 Service Records for Athol Tennyson Nevin
U
PHOTOS of 2/8 Regiment at the
AWM include this one of a gunner
ID number050259
Description
ON BOARD HMT NIEUW AMSTERDAM, AT SEA. 1943-02. GUNNER T.P. HILL, 2/8 AUSTRALIAN FIELD REGIMENT, MANNING A 3-INCH ALL-PURPOSE GUN ON THE AFTER DECK DURING THE VOYAGE OF 9TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION AND HEADQUARTERS A.I.F.(M.E.) FROM THE MIDDLE EAST TO AUSTRALIA.
Extract
2/8th Field Regimenthttps://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U54398
Formed in Australia during the first year of the Second World War, the 2/8th Field Regiment served in Egypt and Syria, in the Middle East, and on Borneo, in the Pacific. It was one of the 9th Division’s three field regiments and it fought as part of the “famous division” at El Alamein and Brunei Bay.
Throughout 1940, as the size of the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) increased from one to four infantry divisions, new artillery units were also continuously raised –15 field regiments were raised by the end of the year. Among these were the 9th Division’s 2/7th, 2/8th, and 2/12th Field Regiments.
Men for the 2/8th initially came from Australia’s eastern states. The regiment’s 15th Battery was raised at the start of May 1940 and the 16th Battery was raised two weeks later. In October 1941, while the regiment was in the Middle East, artillery units were reorganised and a new battery, the 58th Battery, was formed.
The regiment did its initial training using 18-pounder guns and 4.5-inch howitzers. In the middle of November the regiment left Australia for the Middle East and arrived in Egypt in the middle of December, before moving to Palestine. Southern Palestine was being used as a base for the Australians, where they could complete their training, and the 2/8th went into camp at Kilo 89.
In March 1941 the 9th Division was brought from Palestine to Libya, to garrison the area east of Tobruk, but the division did not have enough vehicles to bring all of its units forward towards. Consequently, the 2/8th did not go forward with the infantry and instead contributed to the force defending Mersa Matruh fortress. The regiment received its first 25-pounders at Matruh, where it remained from May until the end of September. The regiment then moved to Sidi Barrani, where it helped to prepare the defences. The gunners left Sidi Barrani in October and returned to Palestine, where they rejoined the 9th Division. In January 1942 the Australians moved to Syria, where the 2/8th built gun sites along the high positions overlooking the coast at Jdaide.
By July the war in North Africa had become critical for the Allies, with German and Italian forces reaching El Alamein, in Egypt, about 112 kilometres west of Alexandria. The 9th Division was rushed to the Alamein “box” and held the northern sector for almost four months. It was Alamein where the 2/8th “came of age”. The regiment reached the Alamein front on 5 July, taking up position at Ruweisat Ridge, and were in action five days later.
Attacking inland from the coast, the division’s 26th Brigade attacked the German positions at Tel el Eisa on 10 July. The attack was supported by all three of the division’s regiments, with the 2/8th being involved in the heavy fighting between 10 and 12 July, as the Germans counter-attacked. On one occasion the 2/8th fired 1,250 artillery shells in one hour and a half. When the division’s 24th Brigade made its attack towards the Ruin Ridge, on 17 July, the 2/8th was again heavily involved in the action and remained so for the rest of the month. Casualties were heavy, with the 2/8th having the highest figures of the field regiments.The 2/8th remained in action, supporting operation Bulimba, the 20th Brigade’s attack at the start of September, and the main Alamein offensive at the end of October and the start of November.
Alamein was a vital success for the Allies and one of the war’s turning points. The 9th Division, however, was needed elsewhere and in January 1943 began returning to Australia. The 2/8th arrived in Melbourne on 24 February and was given leave before moving to Queensland in April.
The gunners spent the next “two long and frustrating years” in northern Australia, training first at Kiri and then Ravenshoe, on the Atherton Tablelands. Indeed, the war was almost over before the regiment again went into action.
In April 1945 the division was transported to Morotai, which was being used as a staging area for the Oboe operations on Borneo. The 2/8th moved to Morotai in May, where they received several 75 mm howitzers, in addition to their 25-pounders.
With troops having already made an amphibious landing on Tarakan in May, the rest of the division landed on Labuan Island and Brunei Bay on 10 June. Coming ashore in landing craft, the 2/8th supported the 20th Brigade as it pushed inland. There was little Japanese resistance, though, and during the campaign the gunners were mainly confined to defensive and harassing fire tasks. On 20 June the 58th Battery landed on Lutong, Sawarka, in support of the 2/13th Battalion.
Following the end of the war and Japan’s surrender, the ranks of the regiment thinned, as men were discharged or transferred. In mid-November the gunners not due for discharge were transferred to the 2/4th Pioneer Battalion, as part of Kuching Force. Those left in the regiment returned to Australia in December and the following month, on 30 January 1946, the 2/8th Field Regiment was disbanded.
Title: 2/8 Australian Field Regiment Remembers World War II 1930 - 1945
Author: Morton, C and M
Edition: 1st Edition
Publisher: 2/8th Australian Field Regiment Association
Publication Date: 1992
ISBN: N/A
Related Biographica
Above: Athol C. Nevin, student travelling with his parents to California
from Sydney aboard the S.S. Ventura 1920 (aged 9 yrs or aged 5 yrs?)
Above: Passengers Thomas, Gertrude and Athol Nevin
Returning from California aboard the S.S. Sonoma, 24 November 1922
Above: The Electoral Roll for Mitcham, Victoria 1949
Athol Tennyson Nevin, storeman
Winifred Aird Nevin, home duties
Addenda: AWM and NAA Records
Australian War Memorial Service Record
Name NEVIN, ATHOL TENNYSON
Service Australian Army
Service Number TX1452
Date of Birth 26 Oct 1915
Place of Birth LAUNCESTON, TAS
Date of Enlistment 13 May 1940
Locality on Enlistment SANDY BAY, TAS
Place of Enlistment BRIGHTON CAMP, TAS
Next of Kin NEVIN, WINIFRED
Date of Discharge 2 Oct 1945
Rank Gunner
Posting at Discharge 2/8 FIELD REGIMENT
WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display
Prisoner of War No
Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2002.
National Archives of Australia
Title NEVIN ATHOL TENNYSON :
Service Number – TX1452 :
Date of birth – 26 Oct 1915 :
Place of birth – LAUNCESTON TAS :
Place of enlistment – BRIGHTON CAMP TAS :
Next of Kin – NEVIN WINIFRED
Series number B883
Control symbol TX1452
Contents date range 1939 – 1948
