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Spr. Cyril William Wilkin MM.
British Army 249th Field Company Royal Engineers
from:Royston, Herts
Cyril Wilkin from Royston in Hertfordshire joined No 2 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps in October 1912 aged 19 or 20 as an 2nd Air Mechanic and was stationed at Montrose. He went with his squadron to France in August 1914 immediately after the war being declared. Soon after his arrival he was injured after the plane he was in was brought down and after recovering was discharged from the RFC on 16th of January 1915.
Cyril Wilkin subsequently enlisted as a Royal Marine Engineer in the Royal Naval Division on 3rd of February 1915 who were soon sent to the Dardanelles and landed at Helles on April 25th of April 1915. Sapper Wilkin was in No 3 Field Company R.M.E. and was a plumber by specialist trade. During the campaign, he was shot through the hand although was only in hospital for a short time before returning to the fighting line. After being evacuated from the Dardanelles in Feb 1916 he was stationed in Stavros, Greece for four months.
He subsequently was sent to the Western Front where his company had been re-designated as the 249th Field Company R.E. In the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division and was now within the British Army rather than the Royal Marines.
Sapper Wilkin was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery in carrying out details under gas and shell fire on or around 11th of March 1918. He was severely gassed in this action and was blind for about 4 days. He was initially hospitalised at Rouen before continuing his recovery in Cardiff.
After the war Cyril married Nellie and had 3 children (Eileen, Derek and Graham) and worked as a plumber. He also served as a fire officer for many years when it was a volunteer service. Cyril was also one of a handful of local ex servicemen who established the Royston branch of the British Legion. He also represented Royston at football and cricket.
During the Second World War, Cyril worked as a fitter for the air ministry initially for the RAF and subsequently for the US Air corps when they took over the local air base. Cyril died in 1979.
