Old Coathamians of World War Two

Tom WILSON



No. 14347980 Signalman. Royal Corps of Signals.


Died 26 August 1945, aged 31 years.

Buried in Colombo (Liveramentu) Cemetery, Sri Lanka,
Grave 1.J.7.


The circumstances of Signalman Wilson’s death in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) are at present unknown. His death certificate simply records that he drowned. His death occurred at a time when Japan had already indicated its unconditional surrender, after the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) had dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima (6 August 1945) and Nagasaki (9 August 1945).



Tom Wilson was the son of Tom and Lilian Wilson. He entered Coatham Grammar School in September 1925 as a fee-paying day boy. Although school records give no precise indication of when he left, there is evidence that he passed his School Certificate examinations in July 1929, but he is not mentioned in any subsequent school records. By the time of his war service he was married. His widow, Frances Wilhelmina Isabel Wilson, was recorded as living at 121, Oak Road, Redcar. He was first listed on the School’s Roll of Honour in December 1945.