George Andrew Wilson

George attended Linlithgow Academy, and the school log book records his academic endeavours, culminating in the achievement, in September 1910, of his University Preliminary exams with passes in Higher French and English, allowing him to matriculate at the University. He completed the courses in Engineering, Mathematics and Engineering Drawing which enabled him to complete his BSc in 1913.

As with many students, he had joined the University of Glasgow Officers' Training Corps, and so he volunteered for service in 1914, shortly after the outbreak of war, joining the Royal Garrison Artillery. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on the 6th October 1914.

At the time of his death he was acting Captain in the 262nd Siege Battery, 47th Heavy Artillery Group. Siege batteries were set up behind the front lines and consisted of heavy Howitzer guns which fired high trajectory shells at enemy defensive positions. These batteries were often used to soften up enemy positions before an infantry attack took place. A standard siege battery would comprise of four 6 inch Howitzers which were either horse drawn or tractor drawn. The battery would be operated at full strength by about 180 officers and other ranks, around a third of which would be responsible for transporting the guns. Casualties, leave and sickness meant that most batteries operated well below this number.

Captain George Andrew Wilson died on the 12th July 1917, aged 25, and is buried at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Vlamertinghe, near Ieper, Belgium.

George’s younger brother James Miller Wilson was killed 13 days later. They are both buried in the same cemetery. His other siblings survived the war and his sisters had longevity, with Mary living to 85, and Anna to 105.

As well as the University Roll of Honour, George is remembered on the Linlithgow Academy Memorial, the Linlithgow Town War Memorial and his parents had his name added to the Family Gravestone.