Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: Sidney Arthur Wilson
Ancestor's date of birth: 1874
Ancestor's date of death: 03/03/1947
Cause of Death: Detail not provided.
Service and Life Before the Boer War: As he served in the Anglican Church Army during the Boer War and WW1, it can be presumed he was either an active member of the Church Army or otherwise holding office in the Anglican Church.
Service Number: Would not have had a number
Colony or State of enlistment: Not Australia, Place of Enlistment: England
Unit: Church Army Volunteers
Rank attained in Boer War: CAPT, Date Effective: Detail not provided
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): CAPT, Date Effective: Continuing service
Murray Page: Not applicable did not serve in an Australian Unit.
Contingent: Not Applicable
Ship: Did not travel from Australia
Memorial details: Detail not provided
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Orange Free State clasp. Inscription reads: 'S. A. WILSON CHURCH ARMY VOLS'. Was possibly entitled to WW1 medals.
Personal Characteristics: Detail not provided
Reasons to go and fight: Religion
Details of service in war: The Anglican Church Army was founded in England in 1882 by the Reverened Wilson Carlile, who banded together in an orderly army of soldiers, officers, and a few working men and women, whom he and others trained to act as Church of England evangelists among the outcasts and criminals of the Westminster (UK) slums. When the Boer War was in progress, the Church Army followed the way of the Salvation Army establishing operating social clubs to provide for the physical as well as 'spiritual' needs of the combatants. Seven Church Army members were awarded Queen's South Africa Medals for their work during the conflict. 'Captain' (a Church rather than a military appointment) Sidney Wilson was one such recipient.
Service and life after the Boer War: Was involved in Church Army administration during WW1, when the Church Army was very active among the troops in France, and ran two thousand or so social clubs across France. Bennie was the 'nickname' for one of his sons, Private Stephen Henry Wilson, (Peter Wilson's Uncle), who was born on 28 September 1914. 'Ben' served in WWII, and was killed in Burma on 6 June 1945.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Peter David Wilson, Hamlyn Terrace NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson
