Edwin Ernest Johnson Wilcocks. (Ch) J 5356, Leading Seaman.

Edwin was born on 3rd December 1891 in Uxbridge, Middlesex to parents Charles and Rosalie, their fourth child and was baptised on 10th January 1892 in St Andrews, Hillingdon. Edwin was listed on the 1901 census, aged nine years old and living with the family at 8 Rockingham Parade, Hillingdon, Uxbridge.

On leaving education Edwin worked as a porter and grocers assistant before signing to the Navy for twelve years service.

He was recorded as being 5'3" tall, with brown hair and blue eyes and had a small scar on the back of his head.

HMS GANGES II - 06/09/1909 - 14/01/1910, training as Boy 2nd Class, rising to Boy 1st Class on 10/12/1909

HMS ESSEX - 15/01/1910 - 27/04/1910, rising to Ordinary Seaman on 07/03/1910

HMS PEMBROKE I - 28/04/1910 - 08/05/1910

HMS ANTRIM - 09/05/1910 - 04/03/1912, Edwin was recorded on the armoured cruiser during the 1911 census, anchored at Chatham Dockyard. He was noted as rising to Able Seaman on 01/07/1911.

HMS SHANNON - 05/03/1912 - 11/03/1913

HMS PEMBROKE I - 12/03/1913 - 11/04/1913

HMS ACTAEON - 12/04/1913 - 10/10/1913

HMS PEMBROKE I - 11/10/1913 - 29/10/1913

HMS GOLIATH - 30/10/1913 - 28/07/1914

HMS MARS - 29/07/1914 - 20/02/1915, rising to Leading Seaman on 16/02/1915

HMS PEMBROKE I - 21/02/1915 - 25/08/1915

HMS VANGUARD - 26/08/1915 - 09/07/1917

Following his death his Star, Victory and British war medals were issued to his father.

#86 - 814/843

Sources:

England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 Free BMD

London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906 London Metropolitan Archives, Uxbridge, Register of Baptism, dro/106, Item 001

1901 & 1911 England Census

Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 657

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: 010 (1914 - 1919)

CWGC Register

Navy Lists, 1888-1970 National Library of Scotland; Edinburgh, Scotland; British Navy Lists. National Library of Scotland, 2020. https://doi.org/10.34812/y3wn-j486; Reference: 92149074

Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Class: ADM 171; Piece: 119

Photo courtesy of Brian Nunn