Apr 4, 1886

Born in London, England to William Robert and Louisa Jane (nee Porter) Wilkins

Apr 14, 1908

Married to Mary Jane Wilson in Edinburgh, Scotland

Dec 30, 1914

Shown on the payroll of the 57^th Regiment, Peterborough Rangers pending transfer to the 39^th Battalion CEF

Appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal

Feb 18, 1915

Attested into the 39^th Battalion CEF in Peterborough, Ontario with the rank of Private

 Ø  Number 412541

Ø  Next of kin given as Mary Jane Wilkins, wife, 147 Lake Street, Peterborough, Ontario

Ø  Previous occupation given as Steam Fitter

Ø  Previous military experience given as 7 years in the Seaforth Highlanders in Scotland

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Posted to “D” Company

o   Later he is noted as “A” Company

 
The battalion trained in the Belleville, Ontario area

Jun 17, 1915

Embarked the SS Missanabie in Montreal, Quebec

Jul 3, 1915

Disembarked in Plymouth, England and proceeded to Shorncliffe and then on to Lydd to continue training

Jul 10, 1915

Promoted to the rank of Corporal

Sep 24, 1915

The 39^th Battalion moved to West Sandling for further training

Dec 27, 1915

Admitted to the Moore Barracks Hospital in Shorncliffe with a diagnosis that reads Tonsillitis

Jan 3, 1916

Transferred to the West Cliffe Canadian Ear & Eye Hospital in Folkestone where surgery was performed to remove his tonsils

Feb 15, 1916

Transferred to the Military Hospital in Shorncliffe

Feb 18, 1916

Transferred to the Cherry Hinton Military Hospital in Cambridge and the diagnosis is changed to read VDS (Venereal Disease Syphilis)

Mar 25, 1916

Discharged to duty with the 39^th Battalion

Apr 5, 1916

Reprimanded for disobedience of Battalion Orders

Apr 27, 1916

Appointed to the rank of Acting Lance Sergeant

Jun 28, 1916

Reverted to the rank of Private at his own request

Transferred to the 21^st Battalion

Jun 29, 1916

Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre, France and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21^st Battalion

Aug 2, 1916

After leaving the base depot, he joined the 21^st Battalion in the Chippawa Camp, near La Clytte, Belgium

Sep 15, 1916

During the battle of the Somme, the 21^st Battalion was tasked with capturing the strongly defended German headquarters in the sugar factory south of Courcelette, France.  The fighting was fierce and Private Wilkins was first reported missing, but his body was later recovered and buried in a field near the jumping off point east of Pozieres. 

When the war ended, his identifiable remains could not be located and his name is listed on the walls of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France for those killed during the war in France and have no known grave

Following the war, the British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and Memorial Cross were sent to his widow, Mrs. Mary J. Case, 868 Weston Road, Toronto, Ontario

Sep 28, 1922

His widow, Mary Jane, remarried to Daniel Alfred Case in Toronto, Ontario

George James Wilkins is honoured on the war memorial in Peterborough, Ontario