Part 199

=WILGRESS, GEORGE KESTEVEN KORTRIGHT=, Lieut., 21st Battn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, only _s._ of Arthur Trollope Wilgress, King’s Printer for Ontario, formerly Publisher and Editor of the Brockville Times, Brockville, Ontario, by his wife, Meta Carleton, dau. of the late George Acheson, of Tandragee, Ireland; _b._ Clarksburg, P. Ontario, Canada, 25 Jan. 1895; educ. St. Albans School, Brockville (Headmaster, Rev. F. G. Orchard, formerly of Bromsgrove, England); served on the Canadian Government Geodetic Survey in Western Canada, and also with the Canadian Pacific Railway Survey of their system north of Lake Superior; volunteered for Imperial service on the outbreak of war and was gazetted Lieut. 15 Sept. 1914; came over with the second Canadian contingent in May, 1915; went to France in Sept. 1915, and was killed in action near Ypres, 27 Nov. 1915; _unm._ Buried in Ridgewood Cemetery, near Ypres. He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 15 June, 1916] by Sir Douglas Haig, for gallant and distinguished conduct in rescuing wounded under heavy rifle fire at short range, and his commanding officer, Lieut.-Col. (now Brig.-Gen.) W. St. Pierre Hughes, wrote: “George’s death was a very severe blow to the whole Battn. There was not an officer, non-com. or man in the whole lot who did not respect, love and admire him. He was kindness itself, thoughtful of others to an extreme degree, and always prompt, careful, thorough and in all ways efficient. He was a soldier and a gentleman always. His heroic acts, performed only two hours before he was killed, have stamped him as one of the few. He knew no fear and feared no foe. He loved his men and they adored him.” At St. Albans School he was head boy and captain of the school, and also of the football team, and exercised a very strong influence for good by reason of his outstanding character.

=WILKENS, HENRY EDWARD=, Leading Seaman (R.F.R., Ch. B. 608), 144292, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WILKINS, ALFRED=, Private, No. 730, 11th Battn. Australian Imperial Force; served in Egypt and at the Dardanelles; killed in action at Gallipoli, 3 May, 1915.

=WILKINS, ARTHUR JOHN=, Sergt., No. 6826, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards; _s._ of Cornelius Wilkins, of Strathmore, Alberta, Canada; enlisted 27 June, 1906; became L.-Corpl. 10 Sept. 1908; Corporal 17 Aug. 1912; L.-Sergt. 21 Jan. 1913, and Sergt. 22 Oct. 1914; served in Egypt 11 Oct. 1909 to 23 March, 1911, and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, from 22 Oct. 1914; killed in action at Cuinchy, 2 Feb. 1915; _unm._

=WILKINS, BERT=, Sergt., No. S/9851, 2nd Battn. Royal Sussex Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, &c.; killed in action at Richebourg L’Avoué, 9 May, 1915; _unm._

=WILKINS, FREDERICK JOHN=, Private, No. 6787, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, _s._ of Frederick James Wilkins, of Towtree, Burghill, co. Hereford, Farmer and Licensed Victualler, by his wife, Amelia, dau. of Robert (and Mary) Sutton; _b._ Malvern, 22 Jan. 1882; educ. County Council School, Burghill; was a Chimneystack Builder; enlisted in the Coldstreams, 30 May, 1906; served in Egypt 31 Oct. 1907 to 23 March, 1911, and obtained his discharge in 1913; rejoined his old regt. on the outbreak of war, 5 Aug. 1914; went to France with the Expeditionary Force, 12 Aug.; served through the retreat from Mons, and subsequent engagements, and was killed in action at Cuinchy, 7 Feb. 1915, being shot through the head by a sniper while effecting the rescue of a wounded comrade on the morning after his coy. had cleared the Brickfields of the Germans at the point of the bayonet; _unm._ He was buried in Cuinchy Cemetery.

=WILKINS, GEORGE=, Private, R.M.L.I., 9557 (R.F.R., Ch. B. 1512), H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WILKINS, HARRY=, E.R.A., 1st Class (Pensioner), 152465, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WILKINS, HENRY JOHN=, Private, No. 8896, 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, 2nd _s._ of Frederick Wilkins, of 8, Collingbourne Ducis, Marlborough, co. Wilts, Woodman, by his wife, Helen, eldest dau. of George Bulpits; _b._ Collingbourne, 5 June, 1890; educ. C.E. School there; was employed at the Army Ordnance Stores, Tidworth, enlisted in the Coldstreams, 25 Oct. 1910; obtained his discharge, and joined the Reserve in Oct. 1913, with an excellent character from his Company Officer; rejoined on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914; went straight to France with the 1st Expeditionary Force; was wounded 21 Oct. 1914, and was in hospital in France until Jan. following, when he returned to the firing line, and was killed in the trenches at Cuinchy, 16 Feb. 1915; _unm._ He was buried near La Bassée.

=WILKINS, WILLIAM JOHN=, Private, No. 10723, 1st Battn. Coldstream Guards, eldest _s._ of George Wilkins, of 59, Waterloo Street, Leamington, by his wife, Elizabeth, dau. of William Hortin; _b._ Leamington, co. Warwick, 11 Sept. 1894; educ. St. Peter’s R.C. School there; was a Dairyman; joined the 7th Warwickshire Territorials about Jan. 1911; enlisted in the Coldstreams, 2 May, 1914; went to France 6 Oct. 1914, and was killed in action during the First Battle of Ypres, 29 Oct. 1914; _unm._

=WILKINSON, CHARLES=, Coy. Sergt.-Major, No. 4170, 1st Battn., Northumberland Fusiliers, eldest _s._ of Charles Wilkinson, of Stonebridge Park, by his wife Maria, dau. of (--) Churchill; _b._ Stonebridge Park, Middlesex; educ. there; enlisted 13 April, 1894, and became L.-Corpl. 16 March, 1899; Corpl. 1 April, 1900; L.-Sergt. 26 Feb. 1902; Sergt. 1 April, 1902; Col.-Sergt. 26 Sept. 1911, and Coy. Sergt.-Major 29 Nov. 1913; served in Gibraltar, 3 Oct. 1896 to 16 Jan. 1898; with the Soudan Expedition, 17 Jan. to 2 Oct. 1898 (Queen’s medal, Khedeval medal); during the occupation of Crete, 3 Oct. 1898 to 17 April, 1899; in South Africa, 16 Sept. 1899 to 6 April, 1903; including the actions at Belmont and the Modder River and the subsequent operations in the Orange Free State and the Transvaal (Queen’s medal with two clasps and King’s medal with two clasps); in the Mauritius, 7 April, 1903, to 8 Feb. 1906; in India, 9 Feb. 1906 to 11 March, 1907, and again 4 Sept. 1908 to 11 Nov. 1913; took part in the operations in the Mohmand Country, N.W. Frontier, 1908 (India General Service medal with clasp); present at Delhi Durbar, 1911 (medal); and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders 15 Aug. to 14 Sept. 1914; including the retreat from Mons, and was killed at Vailly, during the Battle of the Aisne, 14 Sept. 1914. Major H. R. Sandilands wrote: “Sergt.-Major Wilkinson belonged to the finest type of British non-commissioned officers, keen, smart and straight as a die, he was loved and trusted equally by the officers and the men in the ranks of the regt. in whose welfare he was so keenly interested, and in whose service he died. ‘Wilkie’ will ever be held in affectionate remembrance by all who had the privilege of serving with him.” While in India Wilkinson was for nearly five years Officers’ Mess Sergt. and was afterwards Chief Warder in Military Prison at Mauritius. He had also the silver medal for good conduct and long service. He _m._ at Trinity Church, Karachi, India, 9 Dec. 1908, Maud (88, Yerbury Road, Tufnell Park, N.), dau. of Charles Mockridge, of Upper Holloway, and had three sons: Stanley Charles, _b._ Rawal Pindi, India, 3 Nov. 1909; Douglas Reginald, _b._ Mhow, Central India, 6 Oct. 1912; and Charles Frank St. George, _b._ (posthumous) 2 Nov. 1914.

=WILKINSON, FRANK LEE=, Gunner, No. 71456, 47th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, eldest _s._ of Francis Lee Wilkinson, of 8, Little Lockwood Street, Wincolmlee, Hull, Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery, by his wife, Emily, dau. of Thomas Wakefield; _b._ Hull, 10 May, 1895; educ. Lincoln Street Board School there; joined R.F.A. 5 Dec. 1912; went to France 19 Aug. 1914, and died at No. 10 General Hospital, Rouen, 1 Oct. following, of wounds received on 20 Sept. at the Battle of the Marne; _unm._ The Rev. C. M. Chavasse, Chaplain to the Forces, wrote: “I write to tell you all I know of the last hours of your son, who died in hospital here on 1 Oct. His was rather a sad experience, but patiently borne. He had received a gunshot wound in the right arm during the Battle of the Marne on Sunday, 20 Sept., and arrived in hospital here on Thursday, 24 Sept. He was wonderfully good and patient and brave, and lay very quietly in the corner bed of the hospital tent. There was always a smile from him whenever I came to see him, and I do not think anyone realised how bad he was through his bravery. He was a very good boy, too, and, as he told me once, never forgot his prayers, and was trusting in our Lord Jesus Christ. He ought to have gone home on a hospital ship on the 30th, but another operation was necessary, which prevented this. This was a sad disappointment to him, but again no one could have been braver or more patient. And then on the 1st came the sudden collapse. I was suddenly fetched to his side in the morning, and had just time to whisper a prayer in his ear and to feel him squeeze my hand when he became unconscious, and very peacefully passed away at 2.15 p.m.” He was buried the next day in the Cemetery in the Sepulchre des Rouen (Grave No. 58).

=WILKINSON, JOHN ROTHES MARLOW=, B.A., Lieut., 4th Battn. Middlesex Regt., eldest _s._ of the late Rev. Henry Marlow Wilkinson, Vicar of Milford, Lymington, Hants, by his wife, Florence Amy (Milford Corner, Milford-on-Sea), dau. of the late John Kemp-Welch, of Sopley Park, Hants; _b._ the Vicarage, Milford-on-Sea, 17 Oct. 1887; educ. Winchester College, and Worcester College, Oxford (1907–1911, B.A., Capt. of the College Boat Club); gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 4th Middlesex, 22 March, 1911, and promoted Lieut. 10 Oct. 1913; left for France with the Expeditionary Force, Aug. 1914, and was killed in action at Oburg, near Mons, on the 23rd; _unm._ A Private of C Coy., 4th Middlesex, wrote: “On Sunday, 23 Aug., we were entrenched in front of a convent, when Capt. ... gave Lieut. Wilkinson an order to take half his platoon (two sections) to reinforce ‘A’ Coy. This Coy. was at the left of our position and was being hard pressed. We took up position under heavy fire at a group of houses. Your son went into one of the houses, and was heard directing the fire of his two sections through the skylight in the roof. He directed his fire so well that he forced the Germans to retire from his front. It was from this house that he saw overwhelming numbers of Germans coming through the wood to his front. The Germans came on again until they were within 200 yards. Lieut. Wilkinson then came out of the house into the trench. It was here that he got the order to retire. He got the order twice, but would not take it, as he thought it was not an official order. Eventually he got the order from the G.O.C. to retire. It was then I noticed he was limping. To retire we had to go through barbed wire; here we got separated owing to the heavy shell and rifle fire. I am very sorry to say that I was the only man of those two sections to get away from that place. No officers could give me any information of Lieut. Wilkinson. I reported to the C.O. what had happened and told him that Lieut. Wilkinson was a very brave man. He replied, ‘Yes, I know that, and I am very sorry to have lost him.’... I must say your son was a man in every sense of the word. I think he was as brave a gentleman as one could meet here. I told this to Capt.... I think I have an idea of a brave officer, as I went through the South African War and have eight clasps to my medal.”

=WILKINSON, LEONARD RICHARD=, Rifleman, No. 2240, C Coy., 1/9th (Queen Victoria’s Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd _s._ of George Henry Wilkinson, of Star Mills, Paper Maker, by his wife, Annie, dau. of William E. Pepper; _b._ Camberwell, 22 Dec. 1890; enlisted on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914, served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders and was killed in action during the severe fighting for Hill 60, near Ypres, on 24 April, 1915; _unm._

=WILKINSON, WILLIAM=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., Ch. B. 6945), S.S. 101506, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WILLAN, SAMUEL=, Private, No. 11727, 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards; _b._ co. Lancaster; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders; killed in action at Cuinchy, 3 Feb. 1915.

=WILLETS, FREDERICK=, Private, No. 7965, 2nd Battn. The Royal Scots, 2nd _s._ of Arthur Willetts, by his wife, Mary, dau. of Thomas Bennett; _b._ Aston, Birmingham, 7 Aug. 1883; educ. Vicarage Road there; was employed as a Stove Fitter; enlisted in the Royal Scots, 13 Feb. 1902; served three years with the Colours and nine years in the Reserve; went to the Front, Aug. 1914; was wounded and taken a prisoner at Haines, and died a prisoner of war at Erfurt, Germany, 16 Feb. 1915, and was buried there. He _m._ at Aston, Birmingham, 1907, Nellie (No. 2, Back, 119, Park Road, Aston, Birmingham), dau. of William Whadauck, and had a son, Frederick, _b._ 26 Jan. 1908.

=WILLIAMS, ALBERT=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 3806 (Ports.), H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WILLIAMS, ALBERT ERNEST=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 4015), 218031, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=WILLIAMS, ARTHUR MONTAGU=, Solicitor, Lieut. Machine Gun Section, 7th (Robin Hood) Battn. Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt.) (T.F.), only _s._ of the late Arthur Williams, of 109, Forest Road, Nottingham, Solicitor, by his wife, Mary, dau. of the late Thomas Morley, of 46, Addison Street, Nottingham; _b._ Nottingham, 21 Dec. 1883; educ. Nottingham Boys’ High School; served his articles with Capt. J. A. H. Green, admitted a Solicitor in 1905, and was in practice in Nottingham and had lately been a partner in the firm of Messrs. Browne, Son & Williams. He had joined the Robin Hoods as a private on leaving school in 1900, and became a 2nd Lieut. when the Territorial Act came into operation, and was gazetted Lieut. 8 June, 1913. On the outbreak of war he volunteered with the Battn. for foreign service, went to France, 25 Feb. 1915, and was killed in action at Kemmel, 15 June, 1915; _unm._ He was buried in Kemmel Churchyard. One of his men (Private T. Linney, 1867) wrote: “On the night of 15 June, 1915, at about 9.30 p.m. the Germans thought to make a surprise attack on our trenches south of Ypres, by first of all blowing up our trenches and then by violently bombarding our position by artillery and hand grenades. The 8th Battn. Sherwood Foresters, were in the trenches at the time, and were expecting to be relieved that night by the 7th Battn. Sherwood Foresters, this accounting for the officers of the 7th being in the trenches in the afternoon to view the positions. After the violent bombardment the Germans tried to charge the trench, and this being the first severe attack the 8th Battn. had been in they did not know which way to turn or what to do; already they had lost a large number of men and officers and were naturally panic stricken, when Lieut. Williams came to the rescue. Already he had been to fetch a wounded officer, Lieut. Dobson, in, and seen him safe; when the Germans stormed the trenches, he gathered the men together, and by his cool manner and words made a desperate stand against the coming onslaught; the Germans had got as far as the barbed wire, when Lieut. Williams shouted to the men “Come on men, if we’ve got to die, we will die fighting,” this put new life into the men and by desperate fighting the Germans were driven back, but Lieut. Williams, who had saved the situation at such a critical time, was killed instantaneously, by part of a shell fracturing his skull”; and Capt. G. H. Stubington: “It was after dark and he had just gone into the trenches which the Robin Hoods were taking over from the 8th Battn. when Lieut. Dobson of the 8th Battn. was wounded by a shell. Arthur went to help him when another shell exploded and killed them both instantly. He died on duty and I need not tell you how much we feel his loss. He was a most efficient officer and also in my case a close personal friend; I have, as you are aware, known him for years and as far as Machine Gun work is concerned, I feel that I have lost my right hand man.... The Officer Commanding desires me to add that the Battn. has suffered a great loss by his death, and he will be very much missed by all ranks to whom he had endeared himself, and especially by his brother officers.” Lieut. Williams, who was a Freeman of the City of Nottingham by birth, had taken his Musketry and Machine Gun Course and had qualified as an Instructor of Musketry. He was a member of, and played for, the Notts. Amateur Cricket Club; was for some time Secretary of the Nottingham Children’s Hospital and Hon. Secretary of the Red Cross for Notts, and was a member of the Newstead Lodge of Freemasons.

=WILLIAMS, BENJAMIN=, Private, No. 9600, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, _s._ of John Williams, of 25ct., 7h, Cheapside, Birmingham; _b._ Perry Barr, co. Stafford, 7 July, 1894; educ. Rea Street Board School, Birmingham; was a Metal Spinner, Simplex, Salop Street, Birmingham; enlisted in the Coldstreams, 11 May, 1912; went to France 14 Aug. 1914, and was accidentally drowned in Cuinchy Canal, 4 Aug. 1915, while on active service; _unm._ Buried in the Military Cemetery at Givenchy.

=WILLIAMS, CHARLES=, Gunner, R.M.A. (R.F.R., 370), H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WILLIAMS, FREDERICK LEONARD=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 3177), S.S. 622, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=WILLIAMS, GEORGE JACKSON=, 2nd Lieut., 1/5th Battn. York and Lancaster Regt. (T.F.), 2nd _s._ of David Jones Williams, of Rhydwen, Barnsley, member of the firm of Williams Bros., Ltd., Coal Exporters, by his wife, Dinah, dau. of the late George Jackson, Mining Engineer; _b._ Royston, co. York, 6 Feb. 1895; educ. High School, Barnsley and Rydal Mount, Colwyn Bay, and on leaving there entered his father’s office in Paris. When war broke out he was in England on a short holiday and he immediately volunteered and joined the 5th Reserve Battn. of the York and Lancaster Regt. under Lieut.-Col. Mitchell and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 23 Sept. 1914. Being anxious to get to the front he transferred to the 1st/5th Battn. under Lieut.-Col. Fox (which had volunteered for foreign service) and while training with it at Sheffield contracted rheumatism and developed endocarditis from which he died at Barnsley, 27 April, 1915; _unm._

=WILLIAMS, GEORGE JOSEPH=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 14241 (Ports.), H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WILLIAMS, HAROLD=, Stoker, 2nd Class, K. 21975, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=WILLIAMS, HERBERT CHARLES=, Corpl., No. 10080, 2nd Battn. King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regt., yst. but one of the six soldier sons of Ellis Williams, of Hanmer Place, Bowerham, Lancaster, ex Qr.-Mr.-Sergt. of the same regt. (with which he served for 25 years), by his wife, Eliza Mary, dau. of Henry Studd, late of the R.A.M.C.; _b._ the Barracks, Lancaster, 2 April, 1895; educ. Bowerham School; enlisted as a drummer in the King’s Own at Lancaster, 3 May, 1909, and joined his battn. in Jersey, subsequently accompanying it to India. He came home with it in Dec. 1914, and on 15 Jan. went to the Front. He was severely wounded on 16 March, 1915, while placing sand bags to repair front of trenches by Ypres, and died in hospital at Bailleul. His comrade, Band Sergt. J. A. Nichol, wrote: “He passed peacefully away at 6.15 a.m. this morning, 23 March. I was with him throughout, and I’m writing this letter for Lloyd, his brother, who is very much upset. The remains will be interred to-morrow at 9 a.m. in the cemetery there, and I’ll be there to put some token of love on his grave for you and the family.” His two elder brothers, Coy Qr.-Mr.-Sergt. Ellis Watkin Williams and Sergt. John Henry Williams of the 1st Battn. of the King’s Own were wounded in the retreat from Mons, the latter, now a prisoner at Doberitz, very severely. The third, Sergt. Lloyd Williams, suffered from shell concussion and is now (1916) in Egypt. Rifleman Reginald Williams, the fourth, belongs to the King’s Liverpool Regt., and the fifth and last son, Private Percival Williams, is in the Army Service Corps.

=WILLIAMS, HUBERT LESLIE=, Trooper, No. 13/258, 11th North Auckland Mounted Rifles, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 3rd _s._ of Harry Edwin Williams, of Parua Bay, Auckland, New Zealand, by his wife, Harriet Mary, dau. of the late Henry Morey; _b._ at Parua Bay, 23 Nov. 1892; educ. there; and entered the Army, 15 Aug. 1914, being one of the first to enlist from Parua Bay at the outbreak of war. Killed in action at Walker Ridge, Gallipoli, during a night attack, 26 May, 1915, buried there. The circumstances of his death are told as follows in a letter from a comrade to his mother: “A mate of mine, H. L. Williams, was dragging me to put me in a hole out of the firing line after I was shot down that awful night, he had stopped for a minute to give me a drop of water out of his bottle, had just dropped on his knees, when a bullet struck him in the breast, he fell over me, he put his hand in mine and said ‘good-bye old fellow, good luck to you, I’m fixed.’ And so he died without a move, good fellow that he was.”

=WILLIAMS, IDRIS HAVARD JOSEPH=, Capt., 3rd Battn. Royal Fusiliers, 4th _s._ of the late Morgan Stuart Williams, of Aberpergwm, co. Glamorgan, J.P., D.L., by his wife, Josephine (9, Stratford Place, W.), dau. of William Herbert, of Clytha, Monmouthshire, and nephew of the late Capt. George Williams, Frontier Light Horse, who was killed in the Zulu War; _b._ Aberpergwm, 29 Dec. 1878; educ. Charterhouse; received his commission as 2nd Lieut. in the Royal Fusiliers from the Militia, 5 Jan. 1901, and was promoted Lieut. 26 March, 1904, and Capt. 29 Jan. 1910; served through the South African War, 1899–1902 (Queen’s medal with three clasps and King’s medal with two clasps), and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, died at Boulogne, 3 June, 1915, of wounds received in action at Ypres; buried at St. Donat’s Castle; _unm._

=WILLIAMS, JETHROE=, L.-Corpl., No. 6074, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, _s._ of Cabel Williams, of High Street, Cheltenham, Market Gardener; _b._ Leigh, near Cheltenham, 5 Dec. 1885; educ. there; enlisted 21 Jan. 1905; was appointed L.-Corpl. 10 Oct. 1914; served in Egypt, 29 Sept. 1906 to 28 March, 1911, and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, from 12 Aug. 1914, and died in No. 13 General Hospital, Boulogne, 5 Nov. following, of wounds received in action. He _m._ at Fulham, 22 Sept. 1906, Evelyn May (8, Station Road, Maldon, Essex), dau. of Robert Everett Coney Weston, of Bury St. Edmunds, and had a dau., Edith Josephine, _b._ 20 April, 1907.