The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private F Wilder

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Private Frank WILDER, L/10129, 11th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action,  Flanders France, 7th April 1917, age 23.

Born Gravesend, Kent, foster son of Mrs Susan Ellen Cackett, of 2, Clarence Row, Windmill Hill, Gravesend, Kent.

1911 Census - 2, Clarence Row, Gravesend, Kent. - Henry William Cackett, head, age 55, married 35 years, 7 children, all still alive, journeyman butcher, (shop assistant), worker, born Deptford, London;

Henry William Cackett, son, age 34, married, school caretaker, Municipal Corporation, worker, born Gravesend, Kent; Susan Ellen Cackett, Daughter in Law, age 32, married 11 years, 2 years, both still alive, born Warley, Essex; Frances Ellen Cackett, grand daughter, age 7, school, born Gravesend, Kent; Winifred Frances Dennis, grand daughter, (niece crossed out), age 12, school, born Gravesend, Kent;

Frank Wilder, boarder, age 15, single, Boot Factory Hand, (Clickers Apprentice), worker, worker, born Gravesend, Kent.

Previously served in 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment from 31st December 1912, No 8648, and Kent Fortress Royal Engineers

Enlisted Maidstone, Kent, age 18 years & 9 months, height 5ft 5⅜ inches, weight 115lbs, fresh complexion, brown eyes, brown hair, scar below right nipple, scar outer side of left hip, slight curvature of spine. Formerly boot clicker.

Home, 15th April 1913 to 13th August 1914; BEF, 14th August 1914 to 2nd September 1914; Home, 3rd September 1914 to 12th January 1915; BEF, 13th January 1915 to 27th July 1916; Home, 28th July 1916 to 23rd November 1916; BEF, 24th November 1916 to 7th April 1917.

15th April 1913, enlisted & posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 19th May 1913, posted 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 23rd July 1913, 3rd Class Certificate of Education; 5th May 1914, qualified as Telephone Exchange Operator; 14th August 1914 to 2nd September 1914, BEF; 3rd September 1914, posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment;  1st December 1914, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 13th January 1915, posted BEF & 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 14th January 1915, 5 Infantry Base Depot; 28th January 1915, joined Battalion, "A" Company; 24th February 1915, 84 General Hospital, fracture; 15th May 1915, rejoined Battalion; 15th May 1915, appointed paid Lance Corporal; 18th August 1915, appointed Acting Corporal; 2nd March 1916, whilst on active service, neglect of duty, when in charge of a party carrying ammunition not seeing it delivered correctly, deprived Acting rank and Lance stripe; 21st June 1916, whilst on active service, absent from 8.30pm until 9.10 pm, reprimanded; 10th July 1916, using his water bottle in the Line of March without permission, deprived of 7 days pay; 22nd July 1916, wounded, gun shot wound right arm; 27th July 1916, to England; 27th July 1916, posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 27th July 1916 to 15th September 1916, Croydon War Hospital, gun shot wound left arm; 7th October 1916, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 24th November 1916, posted BEF & 11th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 24th November 1916, embarked; 24th November 1916, disembarked; 25th November 1916, Etaples, 40 Infantry Base Depot; 17th December 1916, joined 11th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, In the Field; 7th February 1917, 50 Casualty Clearing Station, scabies; 14th February 1917, to duty; 23rd February 1917, In the Field, having a dirty rifle on parade, 2 days confined to Barracks; 19h March 1917, irregular conduct, leaving the trenches without permission, 14 days Field Punishment No.1.

7th July 1916, Statement of Relatives, (completed by  Susan Ellen Cackett, of 2, Clarence Row, Windmill Hill, Gravesend, Kent) - Father, dead; Mother, dead; Brothers - Charlie Wilder, age 29, not known where they are living now; Sisters - Kate Wilder, age 20, not known where they are living now; Ethel Wilder, age 10, not known where they are living now; Grandparents, dead.

9th July 1920, Statement of Relatives, (completed by  Florence Agnes Mantle, Aunt, 163 Rock Avenue, Gillingham, Kent.) - Widow, none, Children, none; Father, dead; Mother, dead; Brothers - Charlie Wilder, age about 28, Enfield Terrace, Gravesend, Kent; Sisters - Kate Wilder, age about 20, 6 Coitesmore Gardens, Kennington, London, W;  Agnes Ethel Wilder, age about 11, 45 Stonebridge Hill, Northfleet, Kent.

Older brother, Charles Wilder, 99 All Saints Road, Windmill Street, Gravesend, Kent.

Buried at Dickebusch New Military Cemetery, AA. 54., Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium & commemorated at  Christ Church, Milton-next-Gravesend, Kent