More about Sidney Wilson

Sidney Wilson was the son of Mrs Isabella Wilson of 5 Benvie Road, Dundee and was employed as an Apprentice Brassfounder with Hunter, Doig, & Palmer of Rattray Street, Dundee. In October 1914 he volunteered to join the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve onboard HMS Unicorn for service in the Royal Naval Division. After initial Naval Training at the Crystal Palace in South London he was sent to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training. On completion he was drafted to 1st Platoon, B Company of the Collingwood Battalion which was reforming after losing most of its personnel as Internees in Holland or Prisoners of War in Germany after the Antwerp operation in October 1914. The Collingwood Battalion landed in Gallipoli in late May 1915 and took part in the Third Battle of Krithia on 4 June 1915. This was their first and last action because, as they advanced towards the enemy line, they were caught in heavy Turkish artillery and machine gun fire. The number of dead and wounded was very high and the Battalion was disbanded two days later. Sidney Wilson was listed as Missing. No witnesses could confirm that he had been killed and it was not until July 1916 that he was confirmed as Killed in Action. No body was recovered and he is named on the Helles Memorial on Gallipoli, Turkey.

On 12 July 1916, it was reported that Mrs Isabella Wilson, 5 Benvie Road, had received confirmation that her son, Clyde Z/655 A.B. Sidney Wilson, Collingwood Battalion, Royal Naval Division, R.N.V.R., was assumed to have been killed in action in the Dardanelles.
Sidney had enlisted on 6 October 1914, and had been missing since 4 June 1915. He was 19 years of age, and commemorated on the Helles memorial, Turkey, panel 8-15.

DUNDEE LAD KILLED IN ACTION. Mrs Wilson, 5 Benvie Road, Dundee, has received intimation that her son, A.B. Sidney Wilson, of the Collingwood Battalion, Royal Naval Division, is now officially assumed to have been killed at Gallipoli on 4th June, 1915. A.B. Wilson, who was 19 years of age, enlisted three months after the outbreak of war. He was formerly employed as an apprentice brassfounder with Hunter, Doig, & Palmer, Rattray Street, Dundee. The Courier, Wednesday, 12 July 1916, 4.