Second Lieutenant Eric Chilver Wilson, 1st Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
1896 Born Kensington
1901 census at 44, Powis Square, Kensington
1911 census 37 Devon Road, Bedford
1915 Oct 24. The undermentioned Cadets and ex-Cadets
of the Officers Training Corps to be Second
Lieutenants (on probation) - Eric Chilvers Wilson
1916 Nov 3. Bedf. Regt :—2nd Lt. Eric Chilvers Wilson, from Spec.
Res.
1916 Nov 17. Lieut.E.C.Wilson [Eric Chilver WILSON] assumes command of D Company
1917 Feb 12. Bedf Reg —The undermentioned 2nd Lts.
relinquish the acting rank of Capt on
ceasing to comd Cos —
(Temp Lt) E C Wilson, Bedf R.
1919 Apr 11. The appointment od' the following officers,
who have been admitted to the Indian Army
on probation, is confirmed from the dates
specified:
Eric. Chilver Wilson (later cancelled)
1920 Apr 27. Bedf. and Herts. B.— Lt. E. C. Wilson is
restd. to the estabt..
1921 Mar 4 Died age 23 on Sunday 5th of March from wounds received in an ambush at Sheepnore near Carrick-on-Shannon on Friday
- A group of 3 military lorries were ambushed at Sheemore Mountains, 5 miles from Carrick-upon-Shannon and 2 miles from Gowel
- The group comprised Lt Wilson, 10 men of Bedfordshires, DI McLean, 7 RIC men and a female searcher Miss Alice Gray (who was later awarded the BEM for her braveness here)
- The lorries were too close together, with only 80 to 100 yards from front to rear of the convoy
- The IRA took up position behind a low wall which ran along the edge of an eighty-foot-high rock face on the side of Sheemore. It was four hundred yards from the road. There were only seven volunteers under Brigadier Seán Mitchel . At the command from Mitchell they opened fire on the convoy. The British jumped from their lorries and took cover behind a wall which ran along the road. The officer in command tried to use field glasses to spot the positions of the IRA.
- Lt Wilson led his party in a flanking counter attack. Wilson and 2 of his men were wounded, and their attack stalled.
- After a forty-five minute gunfight the IRA withdrew. The British made no attempt to follow them. Instead they gathered up their dead and wounded and returned to Carrick-on-Shannon.
- Lt Wilson dies of wounds and 4 men of Bedfords and 2 RIC men were wounded
- The soldiers wounded from 1st Beds & Herts are: L/Cpl W.Redmond, L/Cpl R.B.Wells, Pte C.Groves.
And the IRA report
Buried Bedford cemetery, Bedford
1921 May 17. Probate to his father
British Soldiers died in Ireland
