Pte 300038 John Wilson

• Age: 25
• From: Penrith, Cumberland
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 8th October 1917
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

John was born in the December quarter of 1892 at Penrith the son of Moses Ostle Wilson and his wife Agnes (nee Borrowdale). They married at Newcastle upon Tyne in the second quarter of 1890.

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 46 Stickland Gate, Penrith.His father Moses Ostle Wilson is shown as a Stonemason born in Penrith in 1871 whilst his mother Agnes, is shown also as born in Penrith in 1873.  John is the eldest of four children, his siblings are shown as; William Wilfrid b. 1895, George b.1898 and Elizabeth b.1901.

His father died in the first quarter of 1904.    

The 1911 Census shows John living with his grandparents at 45 Strickland Gate Penrith. His grandfather Moses Borrowdale is aged 76, having been born in Penrith in 1835. He is retired from them the railways. His wife Agnes is aged 74, born 1837 in Belfast is assisting in the butcher business. Their son Robert aged 46, born 1865 is a butcher. John is aged 18, born 1893 is a mason and his brother George aged 14, born 1897 is assisting the butchery business.

John married Emily May Mitchell on the 6^th September 1914. Emily May was born 2^nd February 1894 and she was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Mitchell of Bents Cottage, Plumpton Wall, Cumberland.  

He enlisted in Penrith and was formerly 316510  Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry. Following a transfer he was serving in the 18th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 300038 when he was killed in action on the 08th October, 1917, aged 25, during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

He is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

St Andrew's Church, Penrith.

Town of Penrith 

We currently have no further information on John Wilson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.