Military History

 Wilkerson enlisted at Guildford, WA with the 10th Light Horse 'A' Squadron on October 1914. He enlisted with a number of his Guildford Grammar School Colleagues.  Wilkerson embarked 8.2.1915 per HMAT' 'Mashobra' for Egypt with his Squadron, most of whom had provided their own horses, they  embarked at Fremantle and sailed for Egypt 8.2.1915. On arrival at Suez, they disembarked and entrained for Mena Camp. After a  period of intensive training,  Wilkerson and his unit joined the MEF and embarked for Gallipoli from Alexandria 16.5.1915. The 10th Light Horse  took part in the assault on the Turkish trenches at the Nek 7.8.1915. The young men killed in this action included a number of ex students and colleagues from Guildford Grammar School. Wilkerson was  reported Missing in Action. A Court of Enquiry met at Russell's Top 8.8.1915  for the purpose of enquiring into the missing 37 Officers, NCOs and men from the 10th Light Horse.  It was determined that Wilkerson had been KIA on  the morning of 7.8.1915. His body was not recovered until 1920 and was interred at the Cemetery- Baby 700 Anzac. (A.51.4C,  Row Ba, Grave 29) In 1924,  Wilkerson's grave was detailed in a report under the heading of 'Exhumations', however,  it was noted in correspondence to his family, that the details, but not the site were altered  by the Graves Registration Committee, to Row D, Grave 29

Final Rank Trooper 10th Light Horse
Medical Condition Dec'd KIA 
Photos James Wilkerson in Palmer and Ashworth. Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire. (Pub.1922)  Facsimile Edition. Sourced and reproduced with permission of Hesperian Press, Carlisle, WA. 2014. p231
             SS 'Mashobra'. Photographer unknown, photograph source Naval Collection AWM P10509.023.001
             Horses and Guns going ashore at Gallipoli 1915. Photograph produced by Darge Studios, photograph source AWM J0326
             Wilkerson, J.T. Photograph source Western Mail 10.9.1915 Roll of Honour p4
             Details of Missing  men from Court of Enquiry Report. Source NAA B2455 Wilkerson James Thomas
             Baby 700 Anzac Cemetery, Cannakkale, Turkey. Photographer unknown, photograph source CWGC
 

Information Source
AWM P10509.023.001. SS 'Mashobra'. Photographer unknown, photograph source Naval Collection  of the Australian War Memorial
AWM J0326. Horses and Guns going ashore at Gallipoli 1915. Photograph produced by Darge Studios, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
CWGC. Baby 700 Anzac Cemetery, Cannakkale, Turkey. Photographer unknown, photograph source Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/66603/BABY%20700%20CEMETERY,%20ANZAC
NAA:B2455 Wilkerson James Thomas
Palmer and Ashworth. Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire.  Facsimile Edition. Sourced and reproduced with permission of Hesperian Press, Victoria Park. 2014. p231
Western Mail

Associated Images