WILSON, Gordon Chesney
| Service Number: | Officer |
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| Enlisted: | 4 May 1887, Served in the British Army - Royal Horse Guards, rank at enlistment Ensign. Enlisted in England. |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Last Unit: | Unspecified British Units |
| Born: | Wimmera, Victoria, Australia, 1 August 1865 |
| Home Town: | Ballarat, Central Highlands, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Melbourne Grammar School, Victoria, Australia and Eton, England |
| Occupation: | Officer in the British Military |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Belgium, 6 November 1914, aged 49 years |
| Cemetery: |
Zillebeke Churchyard Row B, Grave 2 Headstone Inscription "LIFE IS A CITY OF CROOKED STREETS DEATH THE MARKET PLACE WHERE ALL MEN MEET" |
| Memorials: | Melbourne Grammar School WW1 Fallen Honour Roll |
Non Warlike Service
| 4 May 1887: | Enlisted Officer, Unspecified British Units, Served in the British Army - Royal Horse Guards, rank at enlistment Ensign. Enlisted in England. | |
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| 5 Dec 1888: | Promoted Lieutenant, Unspecified British Units, Served in the British Army - Royal Horse Guards | |
| 21 Nov 1894: | Promoted Captain, Unspecified British Units, Served in the British Army - Royal Horse Guards |
Boer War Service
| 11 Oct 1899: |
Embarked
Captain, Officer, Unspecified British Units, Served in the British Army - Royal Horse Guards Gordon was seconded to fight in the Boer War. Then a Captain, he was stationed in Mafeking, South Africa as Aide-de Camp to Colonel Robert Baden-Powell who was the commanding officer. The seige of Mafeking lasted for 217 days, between 1899 and 1900. Lady Sarah had travelled to be with her husband, and when it was seen to be dangerously close to being overrun, she was requested to leave, which she did. Whilst travelling to safety with her maid, she was captured by the Boers, and after exchanging a number of polite and concise letters with Gordon, was later exchanged for a horse thief. Gordon was twice mentioned in despatches, and was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) on 28th May,1901, for distinguished service and gallantry. |
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Non Warlike Service
| 14 Jan 1903: | Promoted Major, Unspecified British Units, Served in the British Army - Royal Horse Guards | |
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| 7 Oct 1907: | Promoted Lieutenant Colonel, Unspecified British Units, Served in the British Army - Royal Horse Guards |
World War 1 Service
| 6 Nov 1914: |
Wounded
Lieutenant Colonel, Officer, Unspecified British Units, Killed in action Served in the British Army - He was a Lieut.-Colonel in command of his regiment of Royal Horse Guards from the commencement of the war. |
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Help us honour Gordon Chesney Wilson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
Son of Sir Samuel "Bullocky Sam" and Jean (nee CAMPBELL) WILSON. Sir Samuel was born 7th February 1835 at Ballycloughan, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and died 11th June 1895 at Grovenor Square London. Jean was born in 1841 at Goulbourn New South Wales and died 8th February 1925 at Hove Sussex England.
Husband of Lady Sarah Isabella Augusta CHURCHILL born 4th July 1865 at St James Square, Westminister and died 22nd October 1929 at Mayfair London. Gordon and Lady Sarah were married on 21st November 1891. The Archbishop of Canterbury married the happy couple in the presence of Royalty and nobility, the Prince of Wales being one of the invited guests. By this marriage Gordon became an uncle to Sir Winston Churchill.
Father of
- Randolph Gordon WILSON born 1893 at London and died 20th May 1956 at Westminster Hospital London
- Adam Spencer WILSON born 1894 at London died 1905 at St George Hanover Square London
Biography contributed by Daryl Jones
GORDON CHESNEY WILSON
Who was killed in action in France on 6th November 1914 was the second son of the late Sir Samuel Wilson of Ercildoune, near Ballarat. He was born in 1865 and entered the Melbourne Grammar School in 1877. He competed in the Combined Public School sports in 1877 and 1878, and then went to England with his parents and entered at Eton. While at Eton he played a prominent part in frustrating the attempted assassination of Her Majesty Queen Victoria on 2nd March 1882. He entered the British Army on 4th May 1887 as Ensign in the Royal Horse Guards. He gained his lieutenancy on 5th December 1888; his captaincy on 21st November 1894; his majority on 14th January 1903; and his lieut.-colonelcy on 7th October 1907. He served in the South African War, 1899-1900. On the staff of General Baden-Powell he was present at the defence of Mafeking, and was twice Mentioned in Despatches. He held the Queen's Medal with three clasps. He was a member of the Fourth Class Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) and of the Legion d'Honneur. He was Lieut.-Colonel in command of his regiment of Royal Horse Guards from the commencement of the war until 6th November 1914, when he was killed at the first Battle of Ypres and laid to rest in the churchyard of Zillebeke, Belgium.
Source : AU7036 War Service Old Melburnians 1914-1918
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