BORN HULL 04/01/1891. SON OF PRISCILLA BEST (1858-1928) & CHARLES WILLIAM WILKINSON (1856-1937), OF 2 EASTERN VILLAS, HOLLAND STREET, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). SON OF AN IRON TURNER. ONE OF SIX CHILDREN AND THREE SONS LOST IN THE WAR. . HE SERVED AS ABLE SEAMAN, ROYAL NAVY. LOST AT SEA, ON HMS “BAYANO”, ON 11/03/1915, AGED 23. HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL.
HIS BROTHER, PRIVATE, HERBERT WILKINSON, 36815, 13TH LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT, DIED OF WOUNDS ON 15/03/1917 AND IS BURIED IN HULL, AGED 21.
ANOTHER BROTHER, CHARLES ALSO DIED.
The liner Bayano was taken over early in the First World War for service as an auxiliary cruiser. On March 11th, 1915, the vessel, under command of Cdr. H.C. Carr, was on her way to Liverpool to coal when she was intercepted ten miles NW by W of Corsewall Point by submarine U-27, Lt.Cdr. Wegener. The attack took place at 5.15am. The Bayano sank very rapidly with the loss of 195 crew. Only four officers and 22 ratings were saved. Fourteen officers, including Cdr. Carr and 181 ratings were killed. The SS Castlereagh, Capt. McGarrick, arrived on the scene shortly after, but although she saw much wreckage and many dead bodies, she was chased away by the submarine and prevented from making a search.
