William Nicholls (Royal Marines officer)


Sir William Charles Nicholls, was a Royal Marines officer who served as Adjutant-General Royal Marines.

Military career

Educated at Cheltenham College, Nicholls was commissioned into the Royal Marine Artillery on 15 July 1872. He saw action in South Africa in 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu War. He became Deputy Adjutant-General at Headquarters, Royal Marine Forces in June 1911. At that time the Deputy Adjutant-General was the professional head of the Royal Marines. His post was redesignated Adjutant-General Royal Marines in early 1914 shortly before the Gallipoli landings, in which the Royal Marine Forces took a prominent role, in June 1915 during the First World War. He retired in June 1916.