Photo: Dorothy Hall
In Barnard Castle Nonconformist Cemetery is a headstone which reads:-
In loving memory of
Lieut. Maurice Wilson, A.I.F.
2nd son of
John W. and Margaret C Wilson
who gave his life in France
8th Oct. 1917 aged 35 years
Also the above named
Margaret C. Wilson
who died 7th March 1930
The Teesdale Mercury 31/10/1917 reports:-
Barnard Castle man reported killed.
Nephew of the Premier of Western Australia.
The circumstances attending the death of Lieutenant Maurice Wilson, the youngest son of Mrs Wilson, of the Grove, Barnard Castle, disclose heroism and tender care for a comrade. Lieut.-Colonel H. Gordon carter, commanding an Australian Pioneer Battalion in communicating the mournful intelligence to his mother, expresses deep sorrow and sympathy, and says Lieutenant Wilson has been missing since the 8th inst. He adds - I have hesitated to write before as I had hoped that we may have information about him ere this but there is little doubt now. He was last seen in a dugout patching-up a wounded man. One party with which Lieut. Wilson was working had been making a trench in the vicinity and the place was fairly heavily shelled. It was decided to move away from the area and our men accordingly moved off. The last man saw Lt. Wilson in this dugout attending to a wounded man of another regiment. He said - I will be along in a minute. There were several men of other British regiments sheltering in these dugouts as our men left. When our men collected again about half an hour later, Lt. Wilson had not arrived and after waiting a search party was sent back. They found no trace of Lt. Wilson or anybody else in the vicinity - the dugout where he had been seen was quite empty. Other search parties were sent out to look about the locality and I sent messengers to the Casualty Clearing Stations but have been able to obtain no news.We can only therefore come to the conclusion that he has been killed. He had been with us since the early part of the year and has been a most reliable officer.
The deceased gentleman was well known at Barnard Castle and was in this town on leave early in August. He tried three times to enlist on the outbreak of war but was refused. Eventually however he was accepted. At the commencement of hostilities in 1914 he wrote to his mother in these words - What a terrible thing this war is. But Australia will see it through. They are prepared to come to the last man.
Research shows that the uncle who was Premier of Western Australia was Frank Wilson born 1859 in Sunderland died 1918.
Maurice Wilson is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.10, B135.23 and B135.25
