Alfred Robert Wilkinson

The Runner Who Crossed 600 Yards of Machine-Gun Fire After Four Others Died

Four runners had already been killed trying to carry the same message when Private Alfred Robert Wilkinson volunteered to make the attempt. On 20 October 1918, during the British attack at Marou in the Battle of the Selle, the supporting company urgently needed orders. Wilkinson crossed some 600 yards exposed to extremely heavy machine-gun and shell fire, delivered the message, and returned to continue serving with his battalion. His actions brought him the Victoria Cross.

The official citation recorded:

“For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on 20 October 1918, during the attack on Marou, when four runners in succession having been killed in an endeavour to deliver a message to the supporting company, Private Wilkinson volunteered for the duty.”

It continued that he delivered the message despite the extraordinary danger, showing “magnificent courage and complete indifference to danger,” and that he continued to perform splendid work for the remainder of the day.

Wilkinson had been born at Leigh, Lancashire, on 5 December 1896. Before the war he worked as a cotton piecer at No. 3 Mill of the Mather Lane Spinning Company, where his father also worked. He enlisted at Atherton on 14 December 1914 in the 2/5th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, receiving service number 3120.

While still training, Wilkinson transferred to the 18th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, on 27 January 1916. He went overseas at the end of July 1916 as part of a reinforcement draft following the severe losses suffered during the opening stages of the Battle of the Somme. His service number became 43839. By early 1918 he had joined the 1/5th Battalion, the unit with which he would earn the Victoria Cross.

The award was gazetted in January 1919. On 22 February 1919 Wilkinson went to Buckingham Palace with his mother and his brother Henry, who was also serving, and received the Victoria Cross from King George V. By then he had been promoted to Lance Corporal. He later took part in the Victory Parade in London on 19 July 1919 as a member of the 1/5th Battalion’s Colour Party.

After returning to Leigh, Wilkinson resumed civilian life. He worked in the cotton industry and later operated a sweet shop with his wife. During the Second World War he became a laboratory technician at Bickershaw Colliery. On 18 October 1940, aged only 43, he died there from carbon monoxide poisoning while working in the laboratory.

Along with his Victoria Cross, Wilkinson received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and King George VI Coronation Medal. His complete four-medal group survives today and entered the Lord Ashcroft Collection after being sold at auction in 2006.

Confidence: 0.95. The only material point I’d flag in his research notes is that the Royal Scots Greys and Seaforth Highlanders service appearing on Wikipedia conflicts with the Manchester Regiment archival record and should not be carried into the VC biography without primary documentation.