Capt Henry/Harry Wilkinson MC & bar, DCM , RFA

1889 Jul 26 Born . The RIC register has him as born Lancashire. An IRA report WS325 says he was a native of Londonderry The commanding officer came along. He was a Captain Wilkinson, a native of Derry, and the only Irishman I knew amongst the 80 odd Auxiliaries then serving in Castleblayney. All the others were Englishmen. I explained to Captain Wilkinson what the trouble was. He attacked me in a vile manner, called me a d....d rebel and said I must sleep on the wires But I cannot find him in Irish BMD (There is a Henry Stuart Wilkinson born Letterkenny Oct/Dec 1888 but died 2 years later)

From the Canadian records , it is clear he was born in Lancashire. Either Burnley or Bolton from BMD, and records put his birth at Bolton

1901 Census in Bolton

1911 census at 34 Hennon St Bolton

1911 Harry H Wilkinson married Jessie Hampson in Bolton

1913 May 17 Enlisted and had previously done 4 years in the RAMC as a Private.

1914 Aug 5, Previously Corporal 20852 RAMC and with 18 Field Ambulance BEF at mobilisation on 5 Aug 1914.

1914 Oct 5. Posted to BEF to 5 Oct 1916. 

1915 Jun 18 MID

1915 Aug 24. Medal of St George 1st Class

1916 Jan 11 DCM gazetted

1917 Oct 7 Commissioned (his record says 17 March 1916)

1916 Mar 11. 20852 Private H. Wilkinson, Royal Army Medical Corps. For conspicuous gallantry; with great bravery and devotion, he attended to and brought in wounded men.(DCM citation)

1918 Jul 18 To be acting Captain. 2nd Lt. H. Wilkinson, D.C.M., Spec. Res.

1918 Sep 12. The undermentioned 2nd Lts. to be Lts. : — Harry Wilkinson, M.C., D.C.M.

1918 Nov 7. MC gazetted 2nd Lt. Harry Wilkinson, D.C.M., R.F.A., Spec. Res. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During a hurricane bombardment by his mortars on enemy positions, an accident happened, wounding one of a crew. This officer, at great personal risk and under heavy machine-gun barrage, ran to the man and by administering first aid saved his life. His plucky and sympathetic action, encouraged his crews

1919 Oct 4. Gazetted bar to MC. Lt. (A./Capt.) Harry Wilkinson, M.C., D.C.M., R.F.A. (Spec. Res.), attd. Y/30th. TM. By. He carried out a very useful and important reconnaissance under heavy shell and rifle fire on the evening of 7th November, 1918, near Avelghem. On 8th November he fought his battery under a very heavy hostile, bombardment from heavy trench mortars and 4.2 in. howitzers. He showed the greatest coolness, gallantry, and devotion to duty. (M.C. gazetted 7th November, 1918.)

1919 Dec 5. RFA. The undermentioned Lts., Spec. Res., relinquish the actg. rank of Capt.: Harry Wilkinson, M.C., D.C.M.

1920 Apr 1. RFA. The undermentioned Lts. relinquish their commns.and are granted the rank of Capt.: Harry Wilkinson, M.C., D.C.M.

1920 Aug 17 Joined ADRIC with service no 372. Posted to C Coy

1920 Sep 25 Posted to H Coy. Promoted Platoon Commander

1920 Nov 10. Promoted 2nd in Command H Coy

1920 Dec 25. Shooting of Reidy & Lean. Gave evidence at the inquest of Reidy and Lean

1921 Apr 1. Posted to I Coy as Coy Commander

1921 May 13 In charge of raids in Dublin

1921 May 15 In charge of raids in Dublin

1921 May 16. On a raid in Dublin

1921 May 17 raids in Dublin

1921 May 18 Raids in Dublin

1921 May 22. Man arrested by I Coy Main Gate Guard at Richmond Hospital

1921 Dec 17 to 23 Dec on Leave

1922 Jan 16. He signs a notice that I Company would be leaving Castleblaney, and that any claims against that Company must be made before that.

1922 Feb 1. Discharged on demobilisation of ADRIC

1922 He is working for the toolmaking firm of Alfred Herbert Ltd in Japan. During the first half of the twentieth century it became one of the largest machine tool manufacturers in the world.

1923 Arrives Canada. His wife Jesse is in Blackpool

1933 in Canada

 

1935 Apr 26 died Canada. Married to Jessie Hampson

 

ADRIC