Carswell Alexander Niven

(Confirmed)

Born: 1 January, 1884

Died: 11 September, 1956

Biographical Summary:

Served with Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force from 11 August 1914 to 4 March 1915.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 2 April 1915.  He held the rank of Company Quartermaster Sergeant when he departed from Australia on 24 June 1915 with reinforcements for the 19th Battalion.  He was appointed Second Lieutenant on 19 August 1916 and Lieutenant on 1 January 1917.

He married Constance Edwina Pearce in London in December 1917.

In 1921 he moved to Singapore where he worked for the trading company, McAlister & Co Ltd. until 1938, when he became secretary of the Singapore Turf Club.  He was captured by the Japanese in 1942.  He spent more than three years interned in Changi.  He remained in Singapore until 1949 when he returned to Australia. 

Sources: 

WW1 dossier

Ancestry.com

"Well-known Malayan turf man dies in Australia", The Straits Times (Singapore), 13 September 1956, p7

[JSB]

Recorded Names:

• Carswell Alexander Niven
• Bill Niven

Service Number: 626

Ranks:

• Held rank of Private
• Held rank of Lance Corporal
• Held rank of Sergeant
• Held rank of Second Lieutenant
• Held rank of Lieutenant

Birth Records:

• 1 January, 1884 in Ilford

Death Records:

• 11 September, 1956 in Vaucluse

Relationships:

• father - Alexander Niven
• mother - Jane Cumming Bryson
• wife - Constance Edwina Pearce

Organisations:

• Member of - Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force
• Member of - 19th Battalion, AIF
• Member of - 17th Battalion, AIF

Main Sources:

• NIVEN Carswell Alexander Service Number Lieutenant Place of Birth London England Place of Enlistment Liverpool NSW Next of Kin Father NIVEN Alexander (Webpage)
• ROWING OARSMEN IN THE FIGHTING LINE SPORT VERY STRONGLY REPRESENTED (Newspaper Article)
• MOSMAN ROWING CLUB (Newspaper Article)
• ROWING AT THE FRONT AND GOING (Newspaper Article)
• First World War Embarkation Rolls Carswell Niven ANMEF (Webpage)
• First World War Embarkation Rolls Carswell Niven AIF (Webpage)
• NO RACES IN SINGAPORE FOR A YEAR (Newspaper Article)
• Singapore Course In A Mess (Newspaper Article)

Commemorations:

• NIVEN on the Mosman Rowing Club Roll of Honour 19141918