William Donald Wilkinson, known as Donald, was born at 82 Inderwick Road, in Hornsey, Middlesex on Wednesday, 30th September 1896, the youngest son of Frederick John Wilkinson and Anne Coleman who had eight children together. There were five boys and four girls; Archibald Harrap, Constance Attwater Felix Wilfred, Frederick Edward, Ernest (Alec) Alexander, Margaret Stella, William Donald and Kathleen Grace. Three of Donald’s brothers served in the Great War; Frederick and Felix fought with the Canadian Army and survived the conflict. His brother Alec however, was killed in France in 1915 and his biography appears on this site.

Donald’s father Frederick was a Clerk to the Church Missionary Society (CMS). The CMS was founded in 1799 and was committed to three great enterprises: abolition of the slave trade, social reform at home and world evangelisation. William Wilberforce MP was among the founding members. Frederick’s job meant the family had moved frequently as the children were growing up before he finally settled near Croydon in Surrey.

In 1901 when Donald was four years old, the family were living at St Mary’s in Elstree, Hertfordshire and all the children, except for Constance, Donald and Kathleen were at school or university. Donald went with his brother Alec to The Skinner’s School in Royal Tunbridge Wells in 1906 when he was ten years old.

He spent seven years at Skinner’s but still had time to participate as a member of Hemel Hempstead Swimming Club when he was at home for holidays. He was an accomplished sportsman playing for the School 1st XI at football and cricket and after being Games Secretary in 1911, he was made School Captain.

Academically gifted, he left Skinners in 1913 with a Hunt and Atwell Exhibition (University Scholarship), the top scholarship award from the School and worth £35 per year for three years. He was a clever and useful actor in school plays and a contributor to "The Leopard" the Skinner’s magazine.

Donald was a Sergeant in the Officers’ Training Corps (OTC). The School's Cadet Corps was created in 1900 and when war broke out in 1914, a high proportion of these cadets joined the army as junior officers. By the end of the war 522 Skinners' School Masters and Old Boys had served in the Armed Forces (roughly 40% of the 1200 boys who had attended the school since its foundation in 1886). Of these eighty-nine are commemorated on the Memorial at the back of the Old School Hall having paid the ultimate sacrifice whilst serving their country.

Donald enlisted in the 28th London Regiment (2nd Artist’s Rifles) attesting at Dukes Road, London on the 5th October 1915 five days after his nineteenth birthday and when he was eligible to serve overseas. Soon afterwards, on the 24th January 1916, he was recommended for a commission with the 3/5th Battalion Essex Regiment and took this up when he was posted five months later and went to France on the 3rd June.

Despite being commissioned with the 5th Battalion it appears that Donald served in France with the 1st Battalion Essex Regiment which fought at the Battle of the Somme. He saw significant action at the Battle of Transloy and the Battle of Ancre and it was in the latter that he met his end whilst leading his platoon into the German trenches.

Donald was Killed-in-Action on Monday, 14th November 1916.

His death was notified in the Hemel Gazette shortly afterwards.

He is commemorated at The Skinner’s School in a memorial book along with his brother Alec and on the memorial plaque in the school.

Donald is Remembered with Honour on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France, Pier and Face 10D

He was only 20 years old when he died.

Donald was entitled to the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.