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Auction: 22103 - Orders, Decorations and Medals VII - e-Auction
Lot: 468

Pair: 2nd Lieutenant R. L. S. Wilkinson, Bedfordshire Regiment, who died of wounds whilst underage on 21 November 1916

British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. L. S. Wilkinson.), good very fine (2)

Roger Leslie Stuart Wilkinson lied about his age stating he was born in 1898, the only son of Richard and Margaret Wilkinson of 247 Knightsbridge, London. Young Roger lived at Wraysbury, Buckinghamshire. He served in France with the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment from 24 July 1916 and died of wounds on 21 November 1916. On 13 November his Battalion took part in an attack on the German front line between Beaumont Hamel and the right bank of the River Ancre. The attack came under heavy machine-gun fire and Wilkinson received severe gun-shot wounds in his left leg and shoulder. He died just over a week later, his parents having been telegrammed permission to visit him in hospital in France on 19 November. In his letter of condolence, Wilkinson's Company Commander told his parents:

'What worried him most was the possibility of not being allowed to take his Platoon into action on the 13th, as I had previously sent his name as being under age. In fact he went to HQ, quite unknown to myself, and begged the C.O. to allow him to go.'

Registered as having been aged 18, he is buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery. His parents had his CWGC gravestone additionally inscribed with an extract from 'April' by the American poet Alice Cary:

'"ROGER" THE ROSE THAT CLIMBED OUR GARDEN WALL HAS BLOOMED THE OTHER SIDE'

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Sold for
£420

Starting price
£100