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L/Cpl. Gavin Arthur Wilson
British Army 1st/14th Btn. London Regiment
from:Netherfield, Newport-on-Tay, Fife
(d.31st Aug 1918)
My great uncle, Gavin Wilson, died of wounds in Flanders on the 31st of August 1918, aged 19, following action at the Battle of Bullecourt. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website confirms his burial place as Bac du Sud British cemetery in Bailleulval which was the site, in August and September 1918 of the No. 46 Casualty Clearing Station.
Gavin signed up to the London Scottish Regiment in Dundee in September 1916 as a volunteer, aged 18 years and 21 days. At the time he was an apprentice chartered accountant with Mackay, Irons & Co., Commercial Street, Dundee. According to my grandfather, he had been counting the months until he would be old enough to sign up. The Regimental Archivist has confirmed that Gavin trained with the 3rd Battalion in late 1916 and early 1917 at Hazley Down Camp in Winchester. His medical record indicates that Gavin was hospitalised with German Measles in April of 1917. He then sailed across to France on 1st October 1917 and joined the 1st Battalion London Scottish Regiment - also written as (1st/14th London (London Scottish) Regiment) or 14th Londons) - on 14th of October 1917 after final training and "battle inoculation" at Etaples. He fought through the Battle of Cambrai on 30th of November 1917 as lance corporal in charge of the Lewis gun section of his company.
Gavin was wounded on 30th of August 1918 at the Battle of Bullecourt and taken to No 46 Casualty Clearing Station where he died of wounds the following day. A letter from the Matron of 46 CCS to Gavin’s father confirms that he was brought there on 30th of August with stomach wounds. In the matron’s words: ‘He seemed so happy and not the least frightened, and sent you his love.’
Gavin was born in Newport, Fife on 10th of September 1898, the youngest son of Gavin Laurie Wilson and his second wife, Alison Johnston Russell. Gavin Laurie Wilson was the founder of the well-known Dundee department store, G.L. Wilson’s (The Friendly Store), situated at The Corner, Murraygate, Dundee. Gavin Arthur was the younger half-brother of Sir Garnet Wilson, Lord Provost of Dundee 1940-1946.
