Soldiers’ Names – A

Captain John Henry Warburton WILKINSON

Served in 5th Battalion (Territorials) of South Staffordshire Regiment. Volunteered 20 Sep 1914, Gazetted 2nd Lt Nov 1914 and sent to France July 1915.

Died, aged 23, on 5 May 1917 of injuries received on 22 Apr 1917 near Lens.

• Buried Longuenesse, St Omer Souvenir Cemetery, France. Plot IV B 75
• Son of John (Jack) Wilkinson and Margaret, living in Gloucestershire
• Captain Wilkinson was not married
• Commemorated on the war memorial, dedicated in 1922, beside Bassett’s Pole public house. The memorial is on the Warwickshire/Staffordshire boundary and was probably erected by his uncle, Colonel Joseph Henry Wilkinson of Ashfurlong Hall, Sutton Coldfield

Links to Relevant Information

With thanks to Bedales website for his military record Bedales: www.bedales.org.uk/john-henry-warburton-wilkinson-07081893-05051917

CWGC Captain John Henry Warburton Wilkinson | War Casualty Details | CWGC

Census & Family Information

• Born 7 Aug 1893 in Handsworth, Staffs
• In 1901, John and his parents were living in Headingley,

Corporal 1274 Sidney George Prosser

Corporal 1274 Sidney G Prosser, 19^th Australian Infantry Force

Killed in action in France on 27 Jul 1916 aged 42

• Buried: Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boiselle, France
• Awarded: 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals
• Son of Joseph and Mary Prosser
• Husband of Edith Bertha Swan of Water Orton, married 24 Apr 1902, three surviving children
• NNWFHS Memorials: Coleshill, Australian Memorial Ovillers-La-Boiselle

Links to Relevant Information

• CWGC page for Cpl Prosser
• Pozieres British Cemetery
• NNWFHS Coleshill War Memorial Page
• Australian Imperial Force (Infantry)

Census and Family Information

• Born Apr qtr 1874 in Coleshill
• Lived at Spring Villa, Water Orton, Warwickshire, a commercial traveller [1911 census]
• Went to Australia circa 1911 to start a business
• Enlisted Feb 1915 in Liverpool, New South Wales
• Twice wounded at Gallipoli
• After his death his widow lived at “Overton”, Water Orton

Second Lieutenant Robert Dyott Willmot

Second Lieutenant Robert D Willmot, 2^nd King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Killed in action in Belgium on 17 Feb 1918 aged 19

• Buried: St Julien Dressing Station Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium
• Awarded British War and Victory Medals
• Son of of George D Willmot J.P. and Nellie Willmot
• NNWFHS Memorials: Coleshill

Links to Relevant Information

• CWGC page for 2Lt Willmot
• St Julien Dressing Station Cemetery
• NNWFHS Coleshill War Memorial Page
• King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Census and Family Information

• Born Apr qtr 1898 Edgbaston
• Attended Malvern College where he was Head of House
• Brother of John D Willmot, also killed in action
• His sister was a VAD nurse

Lieutenant John Dyott Willmot

Lieutenant John D Willmot, 6^th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment

Killed in action on 3 July 1915 aged 19

• Buried: Beuvry Communal Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France
• Awarded 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals
• Son of George D Willmot J.P. and Nellie Willmot
• NNWFHS Memorials: Coleshill

Links to Relevant Information

• CWGC page for Lt Willmot
• Beuvry Communal Cemetery
• NNWFHS Coleshill War Memorial Page
• Worcestershire Regiment

Census and Family Information

• Born Jan qtr 1896 in Edgbaston
• Mobilised from a training regiment Sept 1914
• Lived in Blythe Cottage, Coleshill
• Attended Malvern College where he was a successful athlete
• Brother of Robert D Willmot also killed in action
• His father was Chair of the Finance Committee for the construction of the Coleshill memorial

Pioneer WR/30834 Frederick Watkins

Pioneer WR/30834 Frederick Watkins 317 Construction Company Royal Engineers, formerly Pte 503950 Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Died of sickness in Coleshill 8 July 1918 aged 43, three weeks after discharge

• Buried: Coleshill Cemetery
• Wounded in 1916 with Royal Warwickshire Regiment
• Awarded British War and Victory Medals
• Son of William and Ann Watkins
• NNWFHS Memorials: Coleshill

Links to Relevant Information

• CWGC page for Pioneer Watkins
• Coleshill Cemetery
• NNWFHS Coleshill War Memorial Page
• Royal Engineers

Census and Family Information

• Born July qtr 1875 Coleshill
• Married to Florence Jane Allen 20 Oct 1906 in Coleshill
• Lived at Post Office Yard, Coleshill, a farm labourer [1911 census]

Sergeant 312 Alfred Tranter

Sergeant 312 Alfred Tranter, 14^th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Killed in action in the Somme Offensive on 21^st Jul 1916, aged 25

• Named on the Thiepval Memorial
• Awarded: 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals
• Son of Alfred and Martha Susannah Tranter
• NNWFHS Memorials: Coleshill, Coleshill Grammar School

Links to Relevant Information

• CWGC page for Sgt Tranter
• Thiepval Memorial
• NNWFHS Coleshill War Memorial Page
• Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Census and Family Information

• Born Jan 1891 in Coleshill
• Living at the Railway Hotel, Forge Mill Lane, Coleshill [1901 census]
• In 1911 he was an articled clerk, aged 20
• His father was a miller and a publican
• His family moved to Martin Hassington in Worcestershire

Rifleman R/11456 John Townsend

Rifleman R/11456 John Townsend, 7^th King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Died of wounds in the hospital at Etaples on 2 Sept 1915, aged 21

• Wounded in the Battle of Hooge 29 July 1915
• Buried: Etaples Military Cemetery, France
• Awarded: 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals
• Son of Thomas and Caroline Townsend
• NNWFHS Memorials: Coleshill

Links to Relevant Information

• CWGC page for Rifleman Townsend
• Etaples Military Cemetery
• NNWFHS Coleshill War Memorial Page
• King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Census and Family Information

• Born Dec 1894 Coleshill
• Lived in Packington Lane, Coleshill, a shop assistant [1911 census]

Corporal 851 Horace Timmins

Corporal 851 Horace Timmins, 15^th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Killed in action in the Battle of the Somme on 29 Aug 1916 aged 21

• Named on the Thiepval Memorial
• Awarded: 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals
• Son of James (died 1897) and Emma Timmins
• NNWFHS Memorials: Coleshill,

Links to Relevant Information

• CWGC page for Cpl Timmins
• Thiepval Memorial
• NNWFHS Coleshill War Memorial Page
• Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Census and Family Information

• Born in Birmingham Oct qtr 1894
• In the Cottage Homes Coleshill where his mother was a foster carer [1901 census]
• Lived in Harborne in 1911
• Horace was a clerk in the coal trade

Rifleman R/712 Frederick Richard Stanley

Rifleman R/712 Frederick R Stanley, 7^th King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Killed in action in Belgium on 30 July 1915, aged 25/26

• Named on the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium
• Awarded: 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals
• Son of Thomas and Jane Stanley
• NNWFHS Memorials: Coleshill

Links to Relevant Information

• CWGC page for Rifleman Stanley
• Menin Gate
• King’s Royal Rifle Corps
• NNWFHS Coleshill War Memorial Page

Census and Family Information

• Born Jul qtr 1889 in Coleshill
• Lived in Ansley, a stockman on a farm [1911 census]
• Later employed at Arley Colliery
• Enlisted in Birmingham