(William) Sydney Wilkins
Memorial: Kingswood - Holy Trinity Church
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Private
Parents: William and Florence M Wilkins
Home address: Kingswood, Bristol
Date of birth: 1922
Date of death: 07/06/1944
Buried/Commemorated at: Buried at Escoville Churchyard, Calvados, France, Kingswood Memorial and Kingswood Methodist Memorial
Age: 22
Further information:
2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.
The 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, William’s battalion, took part in the North West Europe Campaign. It helped to form the experienced nucleus of the 6th Airlanding Brigade, part of the 6th Airborne Division that had been newly raised to take part in the invasion of Normandy.
William landed in France at 21.00 hours on D-Day, the 6th June, to the West of the River Orne in a Horsa glider. His battalion was tasked with capturing the villages of Herouvillette and Escoville. The first was taken without a struggle, but increasingly tough resistance was met near Escoville and the Battalion, when it arrived at 15:00 on the following day, was heavily shelled. William died during this action.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/