In Etaples Military Cemetery, France is the Commonwealth War Grave of 235153 Private Robert Wilson, serving with the 25th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion (late 7th Battalion)  Northumberland Fusiliers who died 28/04/1917.

He was the son of James and Mary Wilson, of Rock Alnwick, Northumberland. He was a native of Golden Hill, Belford, Northumberland.

His story has been researched by the Belford Museum.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Robert Wilson was one of 8 children all of whom survived to adulthood. 

His father James Wilson was born on March 12th 1861 in the small village of Linton in the Scottish Borders, Roxburghshire. He was the son of shepherd George Sprott Wilson and Mary Scott. 

James’ family was living at Bewick upon Tweed by 1891 where he married Margaret Cockburn on December 11th 1891 at the Parish Church. Margaret was the daughter of ploughman William Cockburn and Elizabeth Shearlaw born on January 14th 1870. 

George Sprott Wilson was born on December 28th 1891 at Berwick, William at East Ord in 1894 as was Robert in 1895. James was born in Norham in 1898, John 1900 and David Scott Wilson on December 27th 1901 while the family was living at Shepherd’s Cottage in the hamlet of Loanend Township, Northumberland. 

The first of their two daughters Mary Jane Don Wilson was born at Norham on August 23rd 1906 and Elizabeth Janet Wilson at Bamburgh in 1911. James and his family occupied 2 rooms at Golden Hill Bamburgh. He was a shepherd on a farm, George (19), William (16) and Robert (15) were ploughmen. Jane (13), John (11) and Mary (9) were scholars, baby Elizabeth Janet remained at home with her mother.

As early as 1911 there were already rumblings of a possibility of war with Germany. When Germany ignored an ultimatum to withdraw her troops from neutral Belgium by August 4th 1914 Britain declared a state of war existed between the two nations. 

Robert Wilson enlisted at Alnwick, Northumberland and was initially posted as Private 3483 to the 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers of the Territorial Force. 

The 7th Battalion N.F. consisted of companies “A” through to “H” based respectively at Copper Chase, Morpeth, Ashington, Belford, Alnwick, Amble and Ravensdowne, Berwick.

As part of the Northumbrian Brigade, Northumberland Division, the 7th became the 1st/7th Battalion made up of volunteers who were willing to serve overseas. A second line was created in September 1914 for home service and those unwilling to serve overseas. Posted to the Tyne Garrison the volunteers also received training, 

The battalion departed from Folkestone between the 20th-21st April 1915 where it joined the 149th Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. Private Robert Wilson left for the Western Front on October 2nd 1915 joining his regiment which had sustained its gruelling first encounter during the 2nd Battle of Ypres in Belgium with heavy losses. 

During his time at the front he was reposted to the 1st/4th Battalion Northumbrian Fusiliers also attached to the 149th Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. 

During the spring of 1916 preparations were well underway for the commencement of the Battles of the Somme. Programmed to begin on June 29th 1916 the opening attack was delayed by bad weather until July 1st 1916. After two huge detonations at 07.28 a.m.in the explosive packed tunnels under the German Line at 07.30 a.m. the whistles blew and the men went over the top. The 50th Division did not participate in any major encounter until the Battle of Flers-Coucelette September 15th-22nd 1916 followed by Morval September 25th-28th and Le Transloy October 1st-18th. 

In the spring of 1917 a new offensive was launched in the Arras sector which began on April 9th and concluded on May 16th 1917. Private Wilson had been reposted to the 25th (2nd Tyneside Irish) battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and renumbered as Private 235153. 

Attached to the 103rd Brigade, 34th Division the 25th Battalion N.F. was in action during the opening attack at the 1st Battle of the Scarpe April 9th-14th 1917, the 2nd Battle of the Scarpe April 23rd-24th and the Battle of Arleux April 28th-29th 1917. 

Private 235153 Robert Wilson died of wounds on April 24th 1917 and is at rest within Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France grave XIX. L. 14. He was 21 years old and single. 

Etaples was the largest British base camp and home to 7  hospitals, 1 Stationary Hospital, 4 Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot. Close to the railway and out of reach of the enemy artillery from there the more seriously wounded could be transported to the coast and repatriated to England on hospital ships. There is no mention of Private Wilson being admitted to any medical facility, it can only be presumed his death occurred en-route to Etaples. 

Private Wilson had made a Will nominating his mother Mary as his sole legatee. She received all monies due to him from the Army, his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal and would have been eligible for a dependants pension, sent to her at Eglingham Moor, Alnwick, Northumberland. 

Once the original wooden cross marking her late son’s grave was replaced by a military headstone Mrs. Mary Wilson resident of Rock, Alnwick, Northumberland commissioned an additional inscription it reads, GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. 

In 1921 the Wilson family were still residing at Rock, Alnwick. Shepherd James Wilson was assisted in maintaining the family by his son William (27) also employed as a shepherd by farmer R.C. Bosonquet owner of Rock South Farm. David (19) was a farm labourer, James Jnr. (23) worked as a mason’s labourer, Mary (14) and William’s wife Elizabeth (26) assisted in the home, Elizabeth Janet/ Lixxie (10) was a scholar. The other members of the Wilson family had left the family home. 

Mary Wilson nee Cockburn (69) died in 1940, James Wilson (86) in 1947 both registered in Northumberland. 

In God’s safe keeping Rest In Peace. 

Robert Wilson is remembered at Bamburgh on B3.01, B3.02 and B3.05, at Belford on B16.01 and at Lucker on L38.01 and L38.04 page 10.