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A local history and genealogy site for Wimpole, a village and parish in South Cambridgeshire Curated by Steve Odell   George Whetstone     War Memorial     Home     Frederick George Wisbey   Harry Wilkins Remembered with Honour The Wimpole and Arrington War Memorial. A local history and genealogy page for the Parish of Wimpole. In memory of Harry Wilkins 15636, Private, 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (Wimpole) Died: Monday 28th February 1916, on his 23rd birthday - Lest We Forget - Harry Wilkins was the son of Rule and Emma Allen Wilkins (née Payne), of The Stables on the Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire. Born: Arrington, Cambridgeshire. Baptised 9 April 1893 at Arrington. Enlisted: Cambridge, 3 October, 1914. Died: Monday 28th February 1916, on his 23rd birthday. How died: Killed in Action [see report below]. Harry Wilkins was the first battlefield casualty in the 11th Battalion. Theatre of War: France and Flanders. Laid to Rest: Brewery Orchard Cemetery, Bois-Grenier, France. 15636 Private Harry Wilkins Suffolk Regiment Top "Private Harry Wilkins, of the 11th Cambs Suffolks, eldest son of Mr and Mrs R Wilkins of The Stables, Wimpole, was killed in France on his 23rd birthday (28 February 1916). He enlisted on 3 October, 1914 and went out to France on 9 January, 1916. He was one of a working and carrying party filling sandbags on 28 February when he was shot through the head and killed. Mr and Mrs Wilkins have two other sons in training in the 13th Suffolks." (Herts and Cambs Reporter 19 May 1916) He was the first soldier in his battalion to be killed in action. Commemorative Postcard 1916 "Herts and Cambs Reporter" The Wilkins' Family in the 1911 Census: Rule WILKINS Head M 40 Labourer (Wimpole Estate) Arrington, Cambridgeshire [Emma] Ellen WILKINS [née Payne] Wife M 41   Arrington, Cambridgeshire Harry WILKINS Son S 18 Labourer (Wimpole Estate) Arrington, Cambridgeshire George WILKINS Son S 16 Bricklayer (Wimpole Estate) Arrington, Cambridgeshire Frank WILKINS Son   14 Painter (Wimpole Estate) Arrington, Cambridgeshire Jack WILKINS Son   10 School Arrington, Cambridgeshire "Leaving Him to Sleep in Trust Until the Dawn" Brewery Orchard Cemetery, Bois-Grenier Grave: IV. B. 35. The cellar of the brewery was used as a dressing station and the cemetery was started in the orchard nearby in November 1914. It was sheltered from enemy observation by ruined houses and continued in use until January 1918. Brewery Orchard Cemetery contains 339 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There are also four Second World War burials and five German war graves. The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker. Bois-Grenier is a village 3 kilometres south of Armentieres on the D222. Brewery Orchard Cemetery will be found on the east side of the village of Bois-Grenier, on the north side of the D22 road to La Chapelle D'Armentieres. (© Gravestone photo courtesy Phil Curme) (Cemetery image courtesy of VWM Australia) The Wimpole and Arrington War Memorial pictured in 2011 © Photographed by Lorraine and Keith Bowdler The servicemen and women are listed under the Parishes of Arrington or Wimpole as shown on the Cambridgeshire County War Memorial in Ely Cathedral. War Memorial research by Steve Odell. The War Memorial Project would welcome any additional information, research, photographs or memories of Harry Wilkins for this page. Please contact the website. This page was last updated on: 29 April 2020. Contact the Website     Read Our Guestbook     Search this Site Website © Copyright 2000-2021 Steve Odell