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
"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.
