INDENTLieutenant Eric Russell Wilkinson M.C., born 1894 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, enlisted in Lord Strathcona's Horse September 1914 as Lance Sergeant (had previously served with the 31st Regiment British Columbian Horse); left Canada for England October 1914 and embarked for France the day he was advanced to Sergeant, 4 April 1915; was discharged from the Canadian Army in consequence of being commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the 15th Bn. Middlesex Regiment and is shown as a Temporary Lieutenant (Flying Officer), Royal Flying Corps October 1915. Wilkinson left England with 47 Squadron for Salonika September 1916 and was actively engaged on the Struma front: 22.1.1917 - Bristol Scout-Macukovo/Doiran area "...saw hostile machine over Smol (Albatros)...I then got under him and finished the drum straight up"; 12.3.1917 - De Havilland - Doiran and Junas..."I then attacked the rear of these and fired a drum at close range from underneath. This machine was a three engined biplane...I was hit in the petrol tank and forced to land"; 30.5.1917 - De Havilland-Bogdanci ..."while escorting a bomb raid...I saw a hostile machine dive on to an A.W.. I immediately dived on to it and fired about a drum"; 1.10.1917 - B.E.12 - Beles "...over the Beles one of the hostile machines dived on me twice...I fired each time by stalling and using my Vickers gun". (Combat reports with group refer; Military Cross London Gazette 4.6.1917. "T/2nd Lieut., Acting Flight Commander, General List & R.F.C."); Wilkinson was involved in a serious mid-air collision with 2nd Lieutenant Bamford of 17 Squadron during a sham fight over Hadzi - Junas aerodrome in March 1917, incredibly both pilots survived (see article in Coin and Medal News, December 1986 and the following lot)

"Wilkinson sustained a fatal wound in the abdomen on Oct. 6th. Eight machines had bombed batteries at Nocolic from a low height. From a hundred feet or so on the return journey infantry were attacked with machine-gun fire. Whilst doing this Wilkinson's machine received a direct hit on the engine by a shell and he was forced to land near Brest. He was further hit in the abdomen and succumbed to his injuries the next day" (Over the Balkans and South Russia" - H.A. Jones refers)