1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
There is evidence to suggest that Alfred was a ‘old soldier’ but queries are raised when trying to construct a timeline comprising civilian and military life: the absence of a surviving Army Service or Pension file means that these questions may never be fully answered.
Alfred William Wilkins was born at Cotton’s Lane, Tetbury in early 1873 (he was baptised in Tetbury on 1 June of that year). His parents were Charles Henry Wilkins (1848-1924), a tiler and plasterer and his wife Martha (née Sharpe: 1850-1902). The couple had fifteen children, born between 1869 and 1891.
At the time of the 1881 Census the family lived at Cutwell Lane, Tetbury. Alfred does show as living at home in either the 1891 or 1901 Census forms. Assuming that there is no confusion with someone of a similar name, from Tetbury, then 1891 sees him lodging in a boys’ home in Silver Street, Bristol, where he was an errand boy for a drapers. Ten years on and he is a ship’s steward, lodging in West Ham, east London.
On 5 October 1904 he married Alice Hazel (1875-1961) at Faringdon, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire) and the couple had three children: Stanley Alfred (born 30 August 1905); Arthur Eric (28 June 1907) and Irene Nellie (8 February 1911). The 1911 Census shows the family living at Bath Road, Tetbury and Albert employed as a domestic gardener.
There is strong evidence to suggest that Alfred was in the Army at some point prior to the start of the Great War, however, in absence of any detailed service records it is difficult to pin point when he served. He has a Medal Rolls Index Card (MRIC) which notes that he was initially a Private in the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (number 2522). This number would indicate that he joined at the end of 1888 or early 1889 but this would make him about 16 when he joined and it does not tally with the 1891 Census showing him as living in Bristol. Possibly that is a ‘red- herring’ and that he was, at that time, serving in the Army. He could well have either left the Army or be in the Reserve, at the time the 1901 Census was taken. Unfortunately, the marriage records available on Ancestry do not show his occupation then. As will be seen later in this research piece, he appears to have qualified for three Good Conduct stripes, which would indicate service of twelve years (including the Great War).
His MRIC states that he served with the Middlesex Regiment in the Great War and was allocated the number G/28599 (the ‘G’ was used in the Middlesex to denote ‘war service only’ men). This card also notes the date on which he first went abroad (to the Western Front), which was 3 December 1914. Soldiers Died in the Great War and the original printed version of the CWGC Register both state that he served with the 1st Battalion. The indications are, therefore, that he volunteered his services to the Army soon after war broke out: why he chose the Middlesex, over his former regiment, is not known. Alfred was probably in a reinforcement draft of 87 men, which arrived to join the 1st Middlesex in trenches at La Flinque, near Laventie. The battalion saw action on a continuous basis from August 1914 up to the opening of the Somme Offensive in 1916. It is possible that Alfred spent much of his time under fire and perhaps it took its toll. A report in the East Kent Gazette of 9 September 1916 is revealing:
Old Soldier Absent
In the Senior Court, Alfred William Wilkins (45), who was wearing three good conduct badges, was charged with being absent without leave from the 1st Middlesex Regiment stationed at Chattenden. He pleaded guilty and in answer to the Magistrate’s Clerk said he enlisted 21 years ago. Police Constable Terry said that about 3pm on Sunday he saw the prisoner in Station Street, Sittingbourne and he had no cap on. One witness asked him what he was doing in Sittingbourne. He said he had walked away from his regiment and when formally charged with being absent without leave he said ‘That’s right’. Prisoner was ordered to be detained to await escort.
There are a few points to pick up on here. His age is overstated by three years (a frequent editorial mistake). It states that he was wearing three ‘good conduct’ badges — these, also known as ‘long service stripes’, would only have been worn in this number by someone with 12 years combined service — which confirms his pre-war Army status. He says he enlisted 21 years ago — this would make enlistment around 1894/5, which could mean he had five years ‘with the Colours’, ending in 1901, with a further seven in the Reserve. This would have made him ‘time expired in 1908 and (notwithstanding the speculated number issuance date) fit with the census returns. Finally, the 1st Middlesex spent the whole of the Great War in France and Flanders and were never based at Chattenden. The regiment had a Depot at nearby Chatham and during 1916 their 5th (Reserve) Battalion was based there. There was a military facility at Chattenden and possibly that is where Alfred had been posted, following (it is speculated) that he had been sent home from the Western Front due to wounds or sickness. The CWGC ‘Debt of Honour ‘Register shows him with the 3rd Battalion but this is inaccurate as they were based in Salonika for the majority of the war.
The indications are from the above newspaper report that Alfred was suffering from serious mental instability. A recently released Pension Record Card gives his cause of death as ‘general paralysis aggravated by active service’ and the original CWGC printed register states that he ‘died as a result of shell shock’.
Private Alfred William Wilkins died in hospital at Chatham, on 14 September 1916, aged 43: this was a short time after he had been picked up from Sittingbourne. Possibly, after suffering combat related trauma, his body just shut down. He was buried in the churchyard of St Saviour’s, Tetbury on 20 September, where a standard CWGC headstone now marks his grave. He is commemorated on the Tetbury War Memorial (as serving with the 1st Middlesex). He left behind a widow, living at 26 West Street, Tetbury.
Researched by Graham Adams 27 May 2021