R.N., only _s._ of the late John Stewart Whyte, of Stonehaven,
Edinburgh, and 101, Stephen’s Road, Tunbridge Wells, Schoolmaster (died
23 March, 1915), by his wife Margaret (died 5 Sept. 1911), dau. of
the late James Sutherland, Leith, N.L.S.; _b._ Stonehaven, co.
Kincardine, 10 Nov. 1878; educ. Tewel Public School there, and Gordon’s
College, Aberdeen; was 2nd Engineer in the Merchant Service; joined the
Navy Nov. 1902, and was lost on H.M.S. Good Hope, 1 Nov. 1914, when
that ship was sunk in the battle off Coronel, on the coast of Chili. He
_m._ at St. Simon’s Church, Southsea, 1 Aug. 1908, Emmeline Annie
(31, Wisborough Road, Southsea), dau. of the late David Williams, of
Southsea, and had two children: Merry Sutherland, _b._ 28 Nov.
1909, and Lena, _b._ 1 Sept. 1913.
=WICKENDEN, HARRY CHARLES=, Sergt., R.M.L.I., Ch./6612, H.M.S.
Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WICKINS, VERNON JOHN=, Private, No. 2086, 15th Battn. 4th
Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, eldest _s._ of the
late Vernon Evan Wickins, Engineer (who died shortly after the outbreak
of war), by his wife, Mary (Cambria, 32, Wellington Street, North
Hobart, Tasmania), dau. of John McGinnes, of Edinburgh; _b._
Hobart, 30 Aug. 1886; educ. State School there; joined when young the
Volunteer Force and for five and a half years was a member of the
Derwent Infantry Regt., in which he was promoted Sergt., 27 May, 1911.
He was for some years employed in the Government Railways Service at
Launceston, and while there became an active member of the Hobart
Launceston Rifle Club, but on the illness of his father resigned his
position to return home to Hobart so as to be a help to his mother and
the other members of the family. On his return to Hobart he joined the
A.N.A. Rifle Club and was on the roll as an active member when war
broke out. He volunteered for Imperial service and joined the 15th
Battn., 6 Feb. 1915; left for Egypt with the fifth reinforcements and
was killed in action at Lone Pine, Gallipoli, 8 Aug. 1915. Capt. L.
Simpson, A.N.A. Rifle Club, wrote: “Vernon Wickins endeared himself to
all his club mates and to all with whom he came in touch by his quiet,
kindly and unassuming manner, and no greater testimony can be given of
his love for country and fellow mortals than that he laid down his life
for them.” He _m._ at Launceston, Tasmania, 3 April, 1915, Hilda,
dau. of (--) Collins.
[Illustration: =Vernon J. Wickins.=]
=WICKS, JAMES=, Private, No. 9532, 2nd Battn. Royal Sussex Regt.,
_s._ of George Wicks, of 22, Parkfield Road, Hollington, near
Hastings; served with the Expeditionary Force in France; killed in
action, 3 Oct. 1914.
=WIDGER, JAMES SAUNDERS=, Shipwright, 1st Class, 345559, H.M.S.
Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WIGG, ARTHUR HARRY=, Private, No. 2685, 1st Battn. Honourable
Artillery Company, yr. _s._ of the late Harry Owen Wigg, of
Ealing, W., formerly of West Derby, Liverpool, Draper’s Buyer, by his
wife, Mary Walmsley (25, Gordon Road, Ealing, W.), dau. of the late
Thomas Fletcher, of Newsham Park, Liverpool; _b._ West Derby,
Liverpool, 16 Oct. 1890; educ. Elstow School (formerly called Bedford
County School), Bedford; was in the service of Messrs. Dalton & Young,
Fenchurch Street, E.C.; volunteered for Imperial service after the
outbreak of war and joined the H.A.C. in Nov. 1914; left for France 26
April, 1915, as one of a draft to the 1st Battn.; and was killed in
action at Hooge, 16 June following. Early on the morning of the 16th
the British had attacked with some success south of Hooge, capturing
1,000 yards of German front trenches and part of their second line.
Towards night the troops holding the most advanced of the captured
trenches were obliged to fall back, and volunteers were called to go
to their support. Private Wigg was one of those who volunteered, and
while advancing with a party composed of men from various units under
Major G. N. Crosfield, 4th South Lancashires, was hit in the head by a
piece of high explosive shell and killed instantaneously. He was buried
by the side of a path leading to the Sunken Road between Hooge and
Potijze; _unm._ He was a very keen sportsman, being vice-captain
of the Old Elstonian Hockey Club and a member of the Ealing Cricket
Club, upon the committee of which he served.
[Illustration: =Arthur Harry Wigg.=]
=WIGG, EDWARD CHARLES=, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 1497), 208328, H.M.S.
Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WIGHTMAN, FRANCIS CHARLES=, Private, No. 00189, 1st Imperial
Light Horse, elder _s._ of the late John Wightman, of Edinburgh,
Master Plumber and Sanitary Engineer, by his wife, Janet (28, Mardale
Crescent, Edinburgh), dau. of James McFarlane; _b._ Edinburgh, 6
April, 1880; educ. Daniel Stewart’s College there; joined the Imperial
Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) at the time of the South African War; took
part in the operations there, receiving the Queen’s medal with four
clasps; returned to South Africa, 1902, and was for a time at the
Remount Camp at Mooi River, afterwards settling in Johannesburg,
where he held a position in one of the Rand Mines, Cattine Modder,
Brakham. On the outbreak of the European War he made preparations to
return to Britain, but on the rebellion in South Africa he joined the
1st Imperial Light Horse, and was killed in action at Rooidam, 25
Nov. 1914, during a fight with Kemp’s force, which lasted all day;
_unm._ He was buried there. He was a keen footballer and played
for Daniel Stewart’s College F.P. 1st team; a good horseman and a good
shot.
[Illustration: =Francis C. Wightman.=]
=WIGHTON, JAMES ALBERT FORGAN=, Leading Carpenter and Diver,
R.N., No. 346697, 2nd _s._ of the late James Brown Wighton, Jute
Commission Agent, Calcutta, by his wife, Catherine (28, Redbourne
Street, Boulevard, Hull), dau. of James Albert Forgan, of Hull,
Engineer; _b._ Barrow-in-Furness, 19 Oct. 1886; educ. Constable
Street Council School, Hull; joined the Navy in 1904; served on H.M.S.
Assistance; went to India on H.M.S. Renown, with King George (then
Prince of Wales); served on H.M.S. Glasgow, on her first Commission,
and on H.M.S. Fearless; transferred to the Good Hope on the outbreak
of war in Aug. 1914. and was lost when that ship was sunk in the
action off Coronel on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914; _unm._
His brother-in-law, Joseph Williams, was lost on the Cressy (see his
notice).
[Illustration: =J. A. F. Wighton.=]
=WIGMORE, JAMES EDWARD=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 12112, H.M.S.
Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WILCOX, PERCY JOHN=, Private, R.M.L.I., 10304 (R.F.R., Ch. B.
929), H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WILDE, REGINALD=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 5463 (Ports.), H.M.S.
Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WILDMAN, HERBERT ARTHUR=, Rifleman, No. 2970, 8th Battn. (Post
Office Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd _s._ of William
Wildman, of 1, Stanhope Road, North Finchley, by his wife, Florence
May, dau. of Joseph Evans; _b._ Pulloxhill, co. Bedford, 30 May,
1894; educ. Christ Church School, Finchley, N.; was a Postman at
Whetstone; volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war, and
joined the Post Office Rifles, 15 Sept. 1914; went to France 17 March,
1915, and was killed in action at the Battle of Festubert, 25 May,
1915, after being reported missing since 22 May. Buried at Festubert;
_unm._
[Illustration: =Herbert A. Wildman.=]
=WILFRID, WILLIAM=, Stoker, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off
Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=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.
[Illustration: =George K. K. Wilgress.=]
=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.
[Illustration: =Henry J. Wilkins.=]
=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.
[Illustration: =Charles Wilkinson.=]
=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).
[Illustration: =Frank Lee Wilkinson.=]
=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.”
[Illustration: =John R. M. Wilkinson.=]
=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.