Colin Boyd has provided the following:
John was born in Consett in 1894, the only son of John and Mary Elizabeth Wilkinson.
He was working as a fireman when he enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry on 2nd September 1914. He was described as being 5 ft 8 in tall, weighing 127 lbs with a sallow complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair.
John was promoted to Lance Corporal on 15th March 1915 but reverted to Private at his own request after being confined to barracks for two days on 13th July 1915.
He was admitted to hospital at St. Omer on 1st January 1916 suffering from Hyper Astigmatism and on 27th July 1916 it was announced that John had been awarded the Military Medal.
John was in trouble again on 29th May 1917 when he was deprived of 7 days' pay for being absent from a working party and then he was severely wounded in the left arm by an aerial dart which resulted in his being evacuated to the UK on 7th July 1917.
After rejoining the Regiment John was posted as wounded and missing on 5th November 1917 (Note: The CWGC has his date of death as 20th September 1917.)
When his medals were forwarded his widowed mother was living at 23, Cleadon Street, Consett.
John Joseph Wilkinson is remembered in Consett on C101.01 and in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance page 255
