Francis Cameron WILKINSON

Year of Birth: 1906

Place of Birth: Scone, New South Wales, Australia

Date of Enlistment: 19 December 1941, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

Australian Defence Force: Australian Imperial Force

Rank: Gunner

Unit(s): HQ. 37 A.A. (Anti-Aircraft) Battery, Royal Australian Artillery

Service Number: QX25820

Died: 5 February 1943

Age: 36 years

Buried: Cairns War Cemetery –  Plot A- Row A – Grave 11

“Sadly Missed By His Mother And His Children, Donald, Robina & Beth”
Gunner Francis Wilkinson - photo NAA

Francis Wilkinson was born 26 October 1906 in Scone, New South Wales to Claude MacDonald and Robina (Cameron) Wilkinson.  He had one sister Elizabeth, born 1903 New South Wales and then born in Queensland, Edna 1909, Donald Cameron 1911 and Kenneth Cameron in 1913.

He married May Groom in 1933 and they had three children.

Francis enlisted in Toowoomba, Queensland 19 December 1941 and gave his occupation as a drover and his religion as Presbyterian.

Francis died of bullet wound. Court of Inquiry held 14 February 1943 declared “that he committed suicide by taking his own life. Cause of this action in unknown”.

Court of Inquiry - NAA
Letter written by daughter
Reply to Daughter from NAA

Francis Cameron Wilkinson’s name is located at panel 21 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.

Online Resources

NAA: B883, (WILKINSON Francis Cameron) National Archives of Australia

Australian War Memorial

Department Veterans’ Affairs Nominal Rolls

National Library of Australia: Trove Digitised Newspapers

Queensland Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages

If you have a photograph or further information about this soldier you would like to share and add to his biography, please contact the Society at projects@cdfhs.org or leave a comment below. Thank you!

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