WILKINSON, Walter Henry
| Service Number: | 582 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 January 1916, Enlisted at Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 34th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Stockton, New South Wales, Australia, 4 June 1894 |
| Home Town: | West Maitland, Maitland, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Medowie Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Messines, Belgium, 9 June 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 23), Belgium, Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Maitland Church of England South Maitland District Parish Honour Roll, Maitland St Thomas East Greta Roll of Honour, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 582, Enlisted at Newcastle, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 582, 34th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 2 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 582, 34th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Sydney | |
| 9 Jun 1917: | Involvement Sergeant, 582, 34th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 582 awm_unit: 34th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-06-09 | |
| 18 Apr 1918: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, Battle of Messines, During the Messines offensive 7-12th June 1917, this NCO showed great courage and devotion to duty taking over his platoon on his officer becoming a casualty, taking the platoon forward to its objective. He consolidated the position and was the first to send back information. He killed two machine gunners and captured 6 prisoners. 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 57 (18 April 1918). |
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16 November 1916 - Promoted to Sergeant
18 June 1917 - Recommended for Mentioned in Despatches for bravery and Courage in actio betwee 6-12 June 1917. Awarded
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
24 September 1921 - Mother wrote to Base Records asking if what the newspaper had printed about no more exhumation of bodies in the Messines will take place was true
8 October 1921 - a B W Wilkinson, William's sibling, also wrote to War Graves asking for the newspaper article was correct
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery.
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War memorialised at Sandgate Cemetery.
On the 9th June 1917, Sergeant Walter Henry Wilkinson, M.I.D., 34th Battalion (Reg No-582), miner (East Greta Colliery), from Becket Street, East Greta, New South Wales, was Killed in Action during the Battle of Messines, age 23. Cause of death unknown.
No Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing File.
Born at Stockton, New South Wales on the 4th June 1894 to Benjamin (died 5.12.1899, Coolgardie, Western Australia, age 41, buried at Coolgardie Cemetery, Western Australia, and Ellen Wilkinson (died 12.7.1934, Belmont, N.S.W., age 79), Wal enlisted on the 4th January 1916 at West Maitland, N.S.W.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A20 Hororata on the 2nd May 1916.
Mention in Despatches 28.12.1917.
Mr. Wilkinson’s name has been inscribed on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 23), Belgium.
Place of Association - East Greta, New South Wales, Australia.
Wal’s name has also been inscribed on the Maitland & District Municipal Roll of Honor, West Maitland Soldiers' Memorial, East Greta St. Thomas' Church of England Memorial Gates, Independent Order - Oddfellows Manchester Unity Roll of Honor Loyal Kurri Kurri Lodge, Book of Gold, Medowie Public School Honour Roll, South Maitland Church of England Parish & District Roll of Honour and the Williamtown Public School Roll of Honour.
I have placed poppies at the memorialised Wilkinson gravesite in remembrance of Wal’s service and supreme sacrifice for God, King & Country. ANGLICAN 1-12. 28.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
For more detail, see “Forever Remembered“.
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/.
Lest We Forget.
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