Name
Archibald Ben Wilkins
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/06/1917
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
202756
Essex Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PHILOSOPHE BRITISH CEMETERY, MAZINGARBE
Plot I, Row S, Grave 34.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St Michael and All Angels Church Memorial, Watford, Derby Road Baptist Church Memorial, Watford, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Son of Eliza (nee KNOWLES) and the late Benjamin WILKINS; husband of Lilian Madge (nee BUNDOCK) WILKINS of Watford.
His parents married 3 January 1869 at St George’s, Bloomsbury, London. Benjamin died 2 February 1905 in Watford aged 58, and was buried 5 February in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Eliza died 25 February 1923 in Watford aged 78, and was buried 1 March, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Archibald was born 11 November 1888 in Watford, and attended first Beechen Grove Infants’ School, Watford; then Beechen Grove Board School from 23 January 1895 to 22 March 1901. He married 1913 in the Watford district; they had one child. He resided in Watford. Lilian remarried 1922 in the Watford district to Albert H WILKINS, and died 18 March 1964 in London Colney, Herts, aged 90.
He has an entry in the National Probate Calendar.
On the 1891 Census, aged 2 he lived in Watford, with his parents and seven siblings. On the 1901 Census, a bricklayer’s assistant aged 12, he still lived in Watford, with his parents and six siblings. On the 1911 Census, a bricklayer aged 22 he still lived in Watford, with his widowed mother and one sibling.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford, and was formerly Private 9113 Hertfordshire Regiment.
He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals, and was killed in action.
Additional Information
There is an article about and a Death announcement for Archibald in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 14 July 1917; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 29 June 1918 and 28 June 1919. Archibald is also commemorated on his parent's grave in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Archibald is also commemorated on the family headstone Watford Cemetery. All we can read of the inscription from current images is:
ALSO OF ARCHIBALD WILKINS, YOUNGEST SON OF THE ABOVE [Benjamin Wilkins & Hannah Knowles] FULL AND DEARLY LOVED HUSBAND OF LILLIAN WILKINS KILLED IN ACTION JUNE 28TH 1917, AGED 26 YEARS.
NOT MY WILL, BUT THINE BE DONE.
Unfortunately, Archibald’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
