WIGHTON, James Robert Nichol (1891-1956)James Robert Nichol Wighton was born at Armadale on 18 June 1891, the son of James Wighton and Euphemia Janet nee Miller.
He was enrolled as a day student at Geelong College in 1900 and left in 1908.
During World War I, he enlisted (No 4148) with 29 Battalion on 16 August 1916. He embarked on
HMAT A16 Port Melbourne on 21 October 1916 with the 10th Reinforcement Group, and served in France where he suffered the effects of a gas attack at Polygon Wood on 26 September 1917, then accidentally injured his knee on 7 May 1918. He attended a 'Pigeon School' in France from 29 June to 13 July 1917. In July 1917 the
Geelong Advertiser reported that
' Mr and Mrs James Wighton, of Myers Street, received letters from their son, Pte. Jim Wighton, from France. He is well' He transferred to 32 Battalion a week before the Armistice when the merging of battalions was so vehemently opposed by the diggers. He returned to Australia, embarking on
HMT Port Melbourne on 5 July 1919.
His brother,
John Gordon Wighton (1885-1924), who was killed in the sinking of the
SS Wyrallah near Port Phillip Heads in 1924, was also educated at Geelong College.
Sources: Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. p339 (citing The Pegasus; National Archives).