Name
Henry George Frederick Wilson
8 Mar 1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/11/1917
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/18940
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd/4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BEERSHEBA WAR CEMETERY
G. 30.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
HIS COUNTRY CALLED HE ANSWERED
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Elstree memorials,
Not on the Borehamwood memorials
Pre War
Henry George Fredrick was born in Neemuch, Bombay (Mumbai) on 8 Mar 1889 to Frank Henry and Annie Wilson. Henry, aged 15, served as a bugler in the Royal Marines Artillery from 16 Mar 1904 being medically discharged on 12 Feb 1908. He was assigned to HMS London, a Pre-Dreadnought Battleship in the Mediterranean Fleet from 26 Apr 1905 to 3 May 1907.
Henry married Florence May Bartlett on 5 Aug 1912.they had an adopted daughter, Sylvia May Bartlett (born 1 Dec 1915).
Wartime Service
Henry attested on 20 Jun 1916 at Watford giving his occupation as Turner and his address as 15 Glenstead Avenue, Borehamwood, Elstree. He was enlisted as Private 10429 in the Royal East Kent (Buffs) Regiment initially and posted to 3rd battalion for training.
He qualified as a Cold Shoer (of Horses) at Chatham. He went to France on 10 Oct 1916 and 16 Oct 1916 transferring to 6th Battalion Royal West Kents joining them in the field at Frevent on 23 Oct 1916. From 20 Nov 1916 he spent time at Etaples and returned to 6th Royal West Kents joining the Trench Mortar Battery on 14 Feb 1917. On 12 April 1917 he reported sick and being diagnosed with Myalgia he passed through the Medical Evacuation chain of 46 Field Ambulance, 6 Casualty Receiving Station, 37 Casualty Clearing Station and 2 Stationary Hospital (Camiers) in France before treatment in Romford Hospital and Convalescence in Woodcote Park, Epsom.
He was discharged on 14 Jun 1917. Henry requested a transfer to the Machine Gun Corps as a Gunner or Driver on 29 Jun 1917. He was a 1st Class Shot and had also trained as a Lewis Gunner. He left for Egypt on 26 Aug 1917 arriving in Alexandria on 18 Sep 1917. He joined 2/4 Battalion Royal West Kents in the field on 6 Oct 1917.
He was reported as killed in action (Service record) on 3/4 Nov 1917 during third Battle of Gaza.
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs. F. M. Wilson, 178, Cricklewood Lane, Cricklewood, London, ordered his headstone inscription: "HIS COUNTRY CALLED HE ANSWERED".
War Gratuity of £5 10s and arrears of £2 6s 1d paid to his widow, who also received a pension of 20s 5d.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper, Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
