Peter Taylor

The name JOHN NEWMAN WILSON appears on the Warton memorial. The only name from the Commonwealth War Grave data base which was a possibility was John Newby from Dalton in Fumess. (Below)

Gunner 14189 104th Bty. 22nd Bde., Royal Field Artillery
who died on Sunday 1 April 1917 . Age 36 . 

Additional Information: Son of James and Jane Wilson, of Kirkby-in-Furness; husband of Catherine Wilson, of 133, Kent St., Barrow-in-Furness. 

Born in Dalton In Furness and enlisted in Barrow.

Cemetery: ERVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY Pas de Calais, France Grave or Reference Panel Number: E. 7.

However during further research, Mr Wilson, of Wilson’s Funeral Directors in Warton, is sure that the detail of that soldier does not fit. His father was a nephew of the John Newman Wilson on the Memorial and is in possession of a letter of commendation to Corporal Wilson a facsimile of which is shown on the left. I found that reading the simple statement from the General, on the original document yellowed with age, a most moving experience.

The Soldiers Died in The Great War database does not record a Wilson with the number 3666; four soldiers with that number are listed but none from the King’s Own. The Regimental Museum have a record of a Kings Own soldier by the name of RALSTON with this number. He is ROBERT RALSTON from the 1/4th Battalion who is commemorated on the Caton War Memorial. He was renumbered 240286 and was killed 28 April 1918.

The history of the 1/5th, written by their Quartermaster Capt Hodgkinson in 1920, contains a roll of honour of the soldiers killed in the Great War. There is no J M WILSON listed, but a JOHN WILSON, from Carnforth, with the number 241176I listed. There is no WILSON on the Carnforth Memorial. The 1914/15 Roll of the 1/5th Battalion, compiled by Peter Donnelly Curator of the Regimental Museum, list a 3366 Corporal Wilson, from Carnforth, renumbered 241176. Thus it would seem certain that this J WILSON is indeed the one, and the letter of commendation from the General contains a small typing error in the number 3666 – which should be 3366 – an easy mistake. Thus the entry from The Commonwealth War Grave Data Base for John Wilson from Warton is that shown below:

JOHN NEWMAN WILSON

Corporal 241176 (Formerly 3366) 1st/5th, King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
who died on Friday 30 November 1917

Commemorated on the CAMBRAI Memmorial, LOUVERAL Nord France Panel 3

The relatives confirm that GEORGE MILES WILSON, also listed on the Warton War Memorial was a cousin of John Newman Wilson.