John Hudson Wilson
John was educated at Heanor Secondary School and University College Nottingham and was employed as an engineer by the Midland Railway Company at Derby. He was a graduate of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, an associate member of the Junior Institute of Engineers and a member of the Midland Railway Institute of Engineers. His occupation was given as 'fitter and turner' when he joined the Royal Navy in 1916. John transferred from the Royal Naval Air Service to the Royal Air Force (formed 1 April 1918) on 1 June 1918.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
John Hudson was the only son of Thomas and Lucy Wilson nee Hudson.
Thomas Wilson was born in Brinsley, Nottinghamshire, on 21 January 1867, and his wife Lucy Hudson in Nottingham on 29 January 1866 (JFM). They were married in 1892 (JFM Basford) and had three children: John Hudson b 14 September 1896, Mary Hollingworth b. January 1898 and Millicent Emma b. April 1901.
In 1901 Thomas, a school master, and Lucy were living at Hollingworth House, 8 New Manleys Road, Eastwood, with their two children, John and Mary. Thomas employed a general domestic servant..
The family was at the same address in 1911. Thomas was now head teacher of a council school. Only Thomas and Lucy's two daughters, Mary and Millicent, were in the home on the night of the census. John was at the home of his unmarried aunt, Emma Hudson, in Eastwood.
John's father, Thomas, died on 13 January 1944, and his mother, Lucy, on 26 September 1946. The family home was still at 'Hollingworth', Eastwood.
Of John's siblings:
Mary Hollingworth married James Reginald Course (b. 1893), a Wesleyan Methodist minister, in 1924 (JAS Basford). In 1939 at the time of the England & Wales Register they were living at 116 Fitzwilliam Street, Huddersfield, West Riding. James died in 1960; he and Mary were then living at 104 Victoria Road, Gorleston, Suffolk. Mary died in 1994; she was then living in Blakeney, Norfolk.
Millicent Emma did not marry. In 1939 she was living with her parents at 8 New Manleys Road, Eastwood, and her occupation was described as 'mother's help'. Her father Thomas had retired as a school master. Millicent died in 1952; she was then living in Skegness, Lincolnshire.
8th Squadron Royal Air Force
John joined the Royal Navy at the age of 19 on 6 January 1916 on a 'Hostilities only' engagement.
He served in the following ships and shore establishments: President II, 6 January 1916-15 November 1916, (AM II); Crystal Palace, 16 November 1916-31 January 1917; (Dunkirk), 1 February 1917-26 March 1917; Somme, 27 March 1917-31 January 1918 (Acting AM I, 1 September 1917); Daedalus (Dunkirk), 1 February 1918-31 May 1918.
John transferred from the Royal Naval Air Service to the Royal Air Force (formed 1 April 1918) on 1 June 1918.
He died from influenza in the Military Hospital at Clipstone Camp, Nottinghamshire, where he was awaiting demobilisation, and was buried in Eastwood Cemetery, Nottinghamshire.
CWGC Additional information: Son of Thomas and Lucy Wilson, of Hollingworth, Eastwood.
Buried in Eastwood Cemetery, Nottinghamshire. Inscription on headstone: 'In ever loving memory of John Hudson the dearly loved son of Thomas & Lucy Wilson who entered into rest 4th March 1919 at Clipstone Military Hospital aged 22 years. RNAS & RAF 1915-1919. ‘Greater love hath no man than this.’ ‘Hark my soul it is the Lord’'
First quotation (abridged) 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.' KJV, John 15:13. The second quotation is from a hymn written by William Cowper (1768)
Registers of Soldiers' Effects: (RAF) 'died 4 March 1919 on furlough Nottingham'. His father, Thomas, was his legatee.
John Hudson Wilson
Hudson family grave, Eastwood Cemetery. Photograph courtesy of Peter Gillings