Samuel Wilson, Age 23

Private, 43864, 1/4th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry.

K.S.L.I Regiment Cap Badge.

Samuel was the son of Mr Matthew Henry & Mrs Mary Ann Wilson of 22 Dark Lane, Malinslee.

He was with his battalion in November 1918 during the last week of the war when the battalion came under fire for the first time in nearly a month on the 3rd of November. The German rear guards were holding a line west of the River Sambre and at 6.00 am on the morning of the 4th the KSLI attacked through Jenlain and captured these positions suffering casualties of 110 men, the next morning the battalion moved through the 8th North Staffs and continued the attack taking the high ground east of La Flamengrie.

On the morning of the 6th November 1918, reconnoitring patrols reported German machine gun positions near Berttrechies with a stream in front 6 feet wide and 4 feet deep, touch was maintained with the enemy until the battalion was relieved that evening and the battalion marched back to billets at Bry, here they came under long distance shell fire and the last men to be killed in action were sustained;

2nd Lieut Richard Hibbard
Private 11618 Fred Allen from Ellesmere
Private 31607 John Woodyer from Salford
Private 43864 Samuel Wilson from Malinslee.

Samuel had the misfortune of being one of the final group of soldiers from the 1/4th KSLI to fall in action, laying down his life just 5 days before the armistice was signed on November 11th 1918. Whether the shell had blown Samuel to pieces or his body buried by comrades and not found after the war is not known, but Samuel’s name is on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial on panel 8.

Vis-en-Artois Memorial.

WWI Medal Rolls Index Card

Commonwealth War Graves
Commemorated Vis-en-Artois Memorial

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Victory Medal	British War Medal