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Oct 23, 1895
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Born in Glasgow, Scotland
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Sep 4, 1914
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Enlisted in the PWOR (Princess
of Wales’ Own Rifles)
Ø Number 2063
Ø Posted to “H”
Company
The Kingston City Directory
lists him living at 443 Alfred Street
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Dec 22, 1914
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Attested into the 21st
Battalion CEF in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Number 60064
(temporary number 1284)
Ø Next of kin given
as Miss Grace Wilkinson, sister, Glasgow, Scotland
Ø Previous occupation
given as Labourer
Ø Previous military
experience given as 4 months in the PWOR
Ø Religion given as
Presbyterian
The battalion trained in the
Kingston area through the winter with headquarters in the Kingston Armouries
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS Metagama in
Montreal, Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked in Devonport,
England and the battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe,
Kent to continue training
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St. Seiriol in
Folkestone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked in Boulogne,
France and the battalion proceeded to St. Omer
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May 11, 1916
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While the battalion was in the
reserve trench near Scottish Wood, Belgium, Private John Wilkinson was sent
out on a work party on the night of May 11-12. He received a shrapnel wound to his neck
from an artillery shell and died. He
was buried in the nearby Ridgewood Military Cemetery, Dickebusch, Belgium
Following the war, the 1914-15
Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll
were sent to his sister, Miss Barbara Wilkinson, 29 St. Andrews Square,
Glasgow, Scotland
There was no Memorial Cross
issued
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John
Wilkinson is honoured on the memorial wall in Kingston, Ontario (above)
and on a plaque in Kingston’s City Hall (below)
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