James Reginald WILSON

WILSON, James Reginald

Service Number: 14591
Enlisted: 29 December 1915
Last Rank: Gunner
Last Unit: 5th Field Artillery Brigade
Born: Yelverton, Devon, England, United Kingdom, 10 December 1893
Home Town: Welshpool, South Gippsland, Victoria
Schooling: Nuttley Grammar School, Plymouth, England, United Kingdom
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Pneumonia and Influenza, The Devon Tors Hotel, Yelverton, Tavistock, Devon, England, United Kingdom, 2 December 1918, aged 24 years
Cemetery: Meavy (St. Peter) Churchyard, Devon, England
Family Grave-South of Chancel Private Memorial. He is included on the family private headstone with his mother & sister., St Peter Churchyard, Meavy, Devon, England, United Kingdom
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

29 Dec 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 14591, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade
4 May 1916: Involvement Gunner, 14591, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: ''
4 May 1916: Embarked Gunner, 14591, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Port Lincoln, Melbourne
24 Aug 1917: Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 5th Field Artillery Brigade
2 Dec 1918: Involvement Gunner, 14591, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 14591 awm_unit: 5th Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Gunner awm_died_date: 1918-12-02

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Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon

James was born in 1893 in Plymouth but his birth appears in the March quarter of 1894.. His father was a wine merchant who purchased the Devon Tors boarding House, Yelverton. Just before the outbreak of War James emigrated to Australia to become a farmer. In Dec 1915 he enlisted in the Australian Field Artillery. The regiment came to England to train before heading to France. He returned to Yelverton on leave but died of influenza on 2 November 1918. He was 25 and was buried in the family grave in Meavy Churchyard.

The Buckland memorial is sited at Crapstone which lies between Yelverton and Buckland Monachorum

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Biography contributed by Evan Evans

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK

Died on this date – 2nd December..... James Reginald Wilson was born at Yelverton, near Plymouth, Devon, England in 1893.

According to information supplied by Charles Wilson (widowed father) for the Roll of Honour, James Reginald Wilson came to Australia when he was 20 years old.

James Reginald Wilson was a 22 year old, single, Farmer from Welshpool, Gippsland, Victoria when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 29th December, 1915.

Gunner James Reginald Wilson embarked from Melbourne on HMAT Port Lincoln (A17) on 4th May, 1916 with the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, 16th Reinforcements. He was posted to Training Depot at Bulford, Wiltshire on 4th September, 1916. Gunner Wilson was Absent without leave from 24.00 hrs on 24th October, 1916 to 14.00 hrs on 26th October, 1916 while at Bulford. He was awarded 4 days detention & forfeited 6 days pay.

Gunner Wilson was admitted to Fargo Military Hospital, Wiltshire on 6th December, 1916 with Influenza. He was discharged to duty on 13th December, 1916.

Gunner Wilson proceeded overseas to France on 31st December, 1916. He proceeded on leave to UK on 27th November, 1917 & rejoined from leave on 13th December, 1917.

Gunner James Reginald Wilson was on leave to UK (no date recorded).

Gunner James Reginald Wilson died on 2nd December, 1918 at the “Devon Tors” Hotel, Yelverton near Plymouth, Devon, England from Influenza & Broncho Pneumonia. Gunner Wilson had died at his father’s residence & place of business.

Gunner James Reginald Wilson was buried on 5th December, 1918 in the family grave at St. Peter’s Churchyard, Meavy, Devon – south of the Chancel. He is included on the family private headstone with his mother & sister.

From information proved by Charles Wilson, father of late Gunner James Reginald Wilson, the following statement was made on the Roll of Honour information sheet: “Twice gassed. Wounded once. Could never get him to say where, when or how but came back a nervous shattered wreck.”

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/meavy.html

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Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon

 
He was the son of Charles and the late Caroline Wilson (nee Pepperell).

The 1901 England Census recorded James R. Wilson as a 7 year old living with his parents at 20 Hyde Park Road, Plymouth, Devon, England. His parents were listed as Charles Wilson (Wine Trade Manager, aged 44, born Plymouth, Devon) and Caroline Wilson (aged 44,  born Salcombe, Devon). James was the youngest of five children listed on this Census (all born at Plymouth, Devon) –Lilian Wilson(aged 19), Mabel Wilson (aged 18), Charles N. Wilson (aged 11), Dorothy Wilson (aged 9) then James. James’ mother, died on 25th February, 1911.

The 1911 England Census recorded James as a 16 year old, having just left school, living with his widowed father –Charles Wilson (aged 55) who was running a Boarding House.The Census listed that Charles and his late [recently deceased] wife Caroline had a total of five children and they  were living with their father –Lilian Wilson (Boarding House, aged 29), Mabel Wilson (Boarding House, aged 28), Norman (Accountant–Plymouth Corporation, aged 21), Dorothy Wilson (Apprentice Artist Materials, aged 19) then James. There were 4 Servants also listed  and 14 Boarders listed on the Census for The Devon Tors Hotel, Yelverton, Devon. James’sister, Lilian Wilson, died on 16th September, 1911.

James arrived in Australia when he was 20 years old.

He enlisted on 29th December, 1915 with the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, 16th Reinforcements of the Australian Imperial Force(A.I.F.). He was posted to “B”Company, 23rd Depot Battalion at Royal Park on 5th January, 1916 and was then transferred to Field Artillery Reinforcements on 7th January, 1916 as a Gunner. James was transferred to 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, 16th Reinforcements on 1st April, 1916. He embarked from Melbourne on HMAT Port Lincoln(A17) on 4th May, 1916.  James joined Artillery Training School at Tel-el-Kebir (no date recorded). He then embarked for England from Alexandria on S.S. Lake Manitoba on 1st August,1916. Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located on Salisbury Plain and  surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire. James was marched in from Parkhouse to D. Battery Artillery Training Depot at Bulford, Wiltshire on 4th September, 1916. He was marched in from Parkhouse to 3rd Divisional Artillery Column at Larkhill, Wiltshire on 13th November, 1916. James was admitted to Fargo Military Hospital, Wiltshre on 6th December, 1916 with Influenza. He was discharged to duty on 13th December, 1916. He proceeded overseas to France from Southampton on 31st December, 1916 with 23rd F.A.B. (Field Artillery Brigade). James was transferred from 23rd F.A.B. to 7th Field Artillery Brigade on 6th January, 1917. James was transferred to 3rd Australian Divisional Artillery Details on 12th January, 1917. James was attached from 3rd Australian Divisional Artillery Details on construction work in connection with Divisional Rest Camp on 16th January, 1917. He was detached from 3rd Divisional Headquarters and attached to 3rd Divisional Artillery Column on 2nd February, 1917. James  was transferred from 3rd Divisional Artillery Details to 3rd D.A.C. (Divisional Artillery Column) on 10th March, 1917. James was transferred to A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) in France from 3rd D.A.C.on 20th March, 1917. James was marched out to 2nd Divisional Artillery at Etaples, France on 17th May, 1917 and taken on strength in the field on 18th May, 1917. He was taken on strength with 5th Brigade from 2nd D.A.C. and posted to 15th Battery on 18th August,1917. He proceeded on leave to UK on 27th November, 1917 and rejoined from leave on 13th December, 1917.

He died at home [his father’s residence and place of business.]

He is one of the  Yelverton men on the Crapstone War Memorial aka Buckland Monachorum Parish War Memorial at The Green, Stoke Hill Lane, Crapstone, Devon, PL20 7PE, England.

Newspaper Notices
WAR CASUALTIES LIST No. 453
DIED OTHER CAUSES
WILSON, J. R., England,2/12/18
The Argus,Melbourne, Victoria –27 December, 1918

 

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Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon

He was 24.

Civil Registration Details:

Births Mar 1894     Wilson James Reginald Plympton 5b 211
 

Deaths Dec 1918   Wilson James R 24 Tavistock 5b 752