Scott Polar Research Institute
Alias: None
Title: Mr
Rank: Private (British Army)
Dates: 1878-1917
Nationality: British
Awards: Polar Medal (bronze)
David Nelson was born in 1878 in Fifeshire, Scotland. He first went south on board the Morning, the relief ship sent to McMurdo Sound in 1902-03 and 1903-04 to assist the British National Antarctic Expedition 1901-04 (Discovery) led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott.
At the age of 32 he joined the British Antarctic Expedition 1907-09 (Nimrod) for the second half of the expedition as assistant engineer, signing on in Lyttelton, New Zealand on 30 November 1908. He signed off on 31 August 1909 in Poplar, having participated in the surveying of the islands in the Sub-Antarctic waters on Nimrod's voyage back to London under the captaincy of John King Davis. Nelson received the Service Medal for his role on the expedition.
Nelson saw active service as a private in World War I, departing from New Zealand with the 'Twenty-Second Reinforcement'. He died of wounds prior to December 1917.