Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Skew Bridge Cemetery | ||
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.139 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 6B GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Major Francis Stuart WILSON, 1st Brigade HQ, Royal Marines He played 1st Class cricket for Jamaica 1904-5. He also qualified as a pilot gaining his Aviators Certificate No 497 on May 29th 1913, Captain Francis Stuart Wilson, R.M. (Bristol Biplane, Bristol School, Brooklands). He was also a member of NAVY LODGE No 2612
Early Life :
Born in Campden Hill, London.Education & Career :
Wilson attended St Paul's School before going on to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
Wilson first played cricket for Jamaica in January 1905, against a touring English team organised by Lord Brackley (later the Lord Brackley. He appeared in two first-class fixtures, both played at Sabina Park, Kingston, as well as in a 12-a-side game for a "Jamaica Garrison" side. Jamaica, captained by Charles Burton, drew the first match and they lost the second comprehensively, with Wilson scoring a half-century in both games. Wilson's three remaining matches at first-class level came against Trinidad, over a period of ten days in August 1905. Trinidad won all three matches, with Wilson, playing as a top-order batsman, failing to record a score above 40. He did, however, top-score in the first match of the series, which Jamaica lost by an innings and 123 runs. He opened the batting with George Cox – captaining the side in his only first-class appearance – in Jamaica's second innings in the third and final match, which was his last at first-class level.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 1st Brigade H.Q Royal Marines |
The division initially comprised eight naval battalions named after famous British naval commanders (Anson, Benbow, Collingwood, Drake, Hawke, Hood, Howe, Nelson), plus the Royal Marine Brigade of four battalions from the Royal Marine d?p?ts at the ports of Deal, Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth.[1] 1st (Drake) Battalion 2nd (Hawke) Battalion 3rd (Benbow) Battalion 4th (Collingwood) Battalion 5th (Nelson) Battalion 6th (Howe) Battalion 7th (Hood) Battalion 8th (Anson) Battalion 9th (Chatham) Battalion 10th (Portsmouth) Battalion 11th (Plymouth) Battalion 12th (Deal) Battalion Due to the changing nature of the unit, it was made up of a number of brigades during the war. 1st Royal Naval Brigade Also known as 1st (Royal Naval) Brigade, 1st Brigade (1914 - July 1916). Replaced by the 190th Brigade (July 1916). 2nd Royal Naval Brigade Also known as 2nd (Royal Naval) Brigade, 2nd Brigade, 189th Brigade. Royal Marine Brigade Also known as 3rd (Royal Marine) Brigade, 188th Brigade. |
| Action : Gallipoli |
The Gallipoli Campaign was fought on the Gallipoli peninsula 25th April 1915 to 9th January 1916. in a failed attempt to defeat Turkey by seizing the Dardanelles and capturing Istanbul. Ill-conceived and planned, the initial effort by the Royal Navy failed to force passage through the Dardanelles by sea power alone. It was then realised that a land force was needed to support the project by suppressing the Turkish mobile artillery batteries. By the time all was ready the Turks were well aware and well prepared. Despite amazing heroics on the day of the landings only minor beachheads were achieved and over the succeeding 8 months little progress was made. Eventually the beachheads were evacuated in a series of successful ruses.
Despite Gallipoli rightly becoming a national source of pride to Australians and New Zealanders, far more British casualties were sustained, and these days the substantial French contribution is almost forgotten.
In May 1906, Wilson joined HMS Good Hope, part of the 1st Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet. He was next assigned (in September 1909) to HMS Cumberland, a training ship for naval cadets.
Wilson was promoted captain in September 1911, and appointed adjutant of the Royal Marine Depot, Deal, later in the year.
He qualified as a pilot in May 1913, becoming the 497th person to be issued an Aviators' Certificate by the Royal Aero Club. He had trained at Brooklands aerodrome, on a Bristol Biplane.
Wilson, by then a major, was assigned to the Royal Naval Division upon the outbreak of the First World War, formed from Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel not required at sea.
By October 1914, he was in command of a battalion, with a corresponding promotion to temporary lieutenant-colonel.
Detail :
Wilson was killed in action at Cape Helles, Ottoman Turkey, in May 1915.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Phoenix No. 257 E.C. | Hampshire & IOW |
| Joined : | Navy No. 2612 E.C. | London |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
19th February 1908 | 25th March 1908 | 22nd April 1908 |
Joined Navy Lodge 12th December 1912.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley