John Thomson Wilson

Student

John Thomson Wilson was born on the 6th June 1896 in Amble, Northumberland, England, the son of Thomas Lindsay Wilson and Elizabeth Wilson. His father was a Medical Practitioner and the 1901 census records the family living at 86 Middleton Street, Alexandria, Dunbartonshire. John seemed destined to follow his father into Medicine. He was a successful pupil at The High School of Glasgow, good at Science, interested in Literature.

In 1913 John matriculated in the Faculty of Medicine and enrolled in the classes of Botany and Physics. He was seventeen. The family had a new address, Acacia Vale, still in Alexandria. Academically everything seemed on course and in 1914 he returned to enrol in Zoology and Chemisty. He never completed his course, however, and like many students joined the army in a flush of enthusiasm to serve. Indeed Medical students in the first and second years were encouraged to enlist by their Professors as well as the War Office. John was a member of the University Officer Training Corps and in July 1915 was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the 10th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders.

After training at Richmond camp, Yorkshire, learning the techniques of bombing, he left for the Front with his Regiment in June 1916. There he had suffered a leg wound when he was hit by a sniper while reconnoitring one night. He recovered but on the 28th January 1917, 2nd Lieutenant John Thomson Wilson was killed in action, aged 20, leading his company of the 8th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders from the dug-outs to the firing line. His Regiment was caught up in the last flickers of the Somme campaign on the ground above the River Ancre. 2nd Lieutenant Wilson is buried at Martinpuich British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.