Awarded the Military Medal.
Wilfred was born in Cheshire in 1891. He was the son of Arthur and Annie Brookes of Morningside, Princes Road, Sale. His father was a Manager in a shipping merchants office.
Wilfred attended grammar schools in Bolton, Sale and Manchester before studying for a City and Guilds Qualification at Manchester School of Technology. He also joined the Manchester University OTC from 1909-1911. On graduating, Wilfred got a job as an Assistant Manager of a cotton warehouse.
His obituary stated that he was offered a commission on the outbreak of World War 1, but was unable to accept because of his employment. He then joined the Westinghouse Company as an Inspector of Munitions in their Artillery Shell Fuse Department. Eventually on the 30th April 1916 Wilfred enlisted into the Motor Machine Gun Service and was appointed as an Instructor.
On September 15th 1916, tanks were used in action for the very first time in war. It must have been a terrifying sight to see these steel monsters rumbling across the battlefield cutting through the enemy and belching out fire and smoke. Wilfred was in the only tank in action that day at Flers, supporting the 41st Division as they attacked. Unfortunately his tank was hit and it burnt out. Wilfred managed to get back safely despite the barrages from both sides.
He then volunteered to join another tank crew and was in action again on the 1st October 1916 at Eaucourt LAbbaye. His tank was put out of action when it became entangled in barbed wire. Leaving the tank Wilfred attempted to cut the wire in the hope of allowing the tank to be extracted and continue fighting. He was shot by the Germans and being ordered by his Officer to abandon the tank, Wilfred set fire to it. In the course of his escape he was wounded in the right forearm by a grenade. For his brave actions this day Wilfred was awarded the Military Medal.
Evacuated to a hospital in Scotland he took more than a year to recover from his wounds.
He returned to active duty in November 1917, was promoted to Corporal and sent to the Tank Corps Depot at Worgret Camp near Wareham in Dorset.
It was here that he contracted cerebra-spinal meningitis and died shortly afterwards at the Weymouth Isolation Hospital.
Although Wilfred is buried in Weymouth, he is not forgotten elsewhere. He is commemorated at St Annes Church on Sale Moor and on the War Memorial at Manchester University.
Wilfred was born in Cheshire in 1891. He was the son of Arthur and Annie Brookes of Morningside, Princes Road, Sale. His father was a Manager in a shipping merchants office.
Wilfred attended grammar schools in Bolton, Sale and Manchester before studying for a City and Guilds Qualification at Manchester School of Technology. He also joined the Manchester University OTC from 1909-1911. On graduating, Wilfred got a job as an Assistant Manager of a cotton warehouse.
His obituary stated that he was offered a commission on the outbreak of World War 1, but was unable to accept because of his employment. He then joined the Westinghouse Company as an Inspector of Munitions in their Artillery Shell Fuse Department. Eventually on the 30th April 1916 Wilfred enlisted into the Motor Machine Gun Service and was appointed as an Instructor.
On September 15th 1916, tanks were used in action for the very first time in war. It must have been a terrifying sight to see these steel monsters rumbling across the battlefield cutting through the enemy and belching out fire and smoke. Wilfred was in the only tank in action that day at Flers, supporting the 41st Division as they attacked. Unfortunately his tank was hit and it burnt out. Wilfred managed to get back safely despite the barrages from both sides.
He then volunteered to join another tank crew and was in action again on the 1st October 1916 at Eaucourt LAbbaye. His tank was put out of action when it became entangled in barbed wire. Leaving the tank Wilfred attempted to cut the wire in the hope of allowing the tank to be extracted and continue fighting. He was shot by the Germans and being ordered by his Officer to abandon the tank, Wilfred set fire to it. In the course of his escape he was wounded in the right forearm by a grenade. For his brave actions this day Wilfred was awarded the Military Medal.
Evacuated to a hospital in Scotland he took more than a year to recover from his wounds.
He returned to active duty in November 1917, was promoted to Corporal and sent to the Tank Corps Depot at Worgret Camp near Wareham in Dorset.
It was here that he contracted cerebra-spinal meningitis and died shortly afterwards at the Weymouth Isolation Hospital.
Although Wilfred is buried in Weymouth, he is not forgotten elsewhere. He is commemorated at St Annes Church on Sale Moor and on the War Memorial at Manchester University.
Awarded the Military Medal.
Wilfred was born in Cheshire in 1891. He was the son of Arthur and Annie Brookes of Morningside, Princes Road, Sale. His father was a Manager in a shipping merchants office.
Wilfred attended grammar schools in Bolton, Sale and Manchester before studying for a City and Guilds Qualification at Manchester School of Technology. He also joined the Manchester University OTC from 1909-1911. On graduating, Wilfred got a job as an Assistant Manager of a cotton warehouse.
His obituary stated that he was offered a commission on the outbreak of World War 1, but was unable to accept because of his employment. He then joined the Westinghouse Company as an Inspector of Munitions in their Artillery Shell Fuse Department. Eventually on the 30th April 1916 Wilfred enlisted into the Motor Machine Gun Service and was appointed as an Instructor.
On September 15th 1916, tanks were used in action for the very first time in war. It must have been a terrifying sight to see these steel monsters rumbling across the battlefield cutting through the enemy and belching out fire and smoke. Wilfred was in the only tank in action that day at Flers, supporting the 41st Division as they attacked. Unfortunately his tank was hit and it burnt out. Wilfred managed to get back safely despite the barrages from both sides.
He then volunteered to join another tank crew and was in action again on the 1st October 1916 at Eaucourt LAbbaye. His tank was put out of action when it became entangled in barbed wire. Leaving the tank Wilfred attempted to cut the wire in the hope of allowing the tank to be extracted and continue fighting. He was shot by the Germans and being ordered by his Officer to abandon the tank, Wilfred set fire to it. In the course of his escape he was wounded in the right forearm by a grenade. For his brave actions this day Wilfred was awarded the Military Medal.
Evacuated to a hospital in Scotland he took more than a year to recover from his wounds.
He returned to active duty in November 1917, was promoted to Corporal and sent to the Tank Corps Depot at Worgret Camp near Wareham in Dorset.
It was here that he contracted cerebra-spinal meningitis and died shortly afterwards at the Weymouth Isolation Hospital.
Although Wilfred is buried in Weymouth, he is not forgotten elsewhere. He is commemorated at St Annes Church on Sale Moor and on the War Memorial at Manchester University.
Wilfred was born in Cheshire in 1891. He was the son of Arthur and Annie Brookes of Morningside, Princes Road, Sale. His father was a Manager in a shipping merchants office.
Wilfred attended grammar schools in Bolton, Sale and Manchester before studying for a City and Guilds Qualification at Manchester School of Technology. He also joined the Manchester University OTC from 1909-1911. On graduating, Wilfred got a job as an Assistant Manager of a cotton warehouse.
His obituary stated that he was offered a commission on the outbreak of World War 1, but was unable to accept because of his employment. He then joined the Westinghouse Company as an Inspector of Munitions in their Artillery Shell Fuse Department. Eventually on the 30th April 1916 Wilfred enlisted into the Motor Machine Gun Service and was appointed as an Instructor.
On September 15th 1916, tanks were used in action for the very first time in war. It must have been a terrifying sight to see these steel monsters rumbling across the battlefield cutting through the enemy and belching out fire and smoke. Wilfred was in the only tank in action that day at Flers, supporting the 41st Division as they attacked. Unfortunately his tank was hit and it burnt out. Wilfred managed to get back safely despite the barrages from both sides.
He then volunteered to join another tank crew and was in action again on the 1st October 1916 at Eaucourt LAbbaye. His tank was put out of action when it became entangled in barbed wire. Leaving the tank Wilfred attempted to cut the wire in the hope of allowing the tank to be extracted and continue fighting. He was shot by the Germans and being ordered by his Officer to abandon the tank, Wilfred set fire to it. In the course of his escape he was wounded in the right forearm by a grenade. For his brave actions this day Wilfred was awarded the Military Medal.
Evacuated to a hospital in Scotland he took more than a year to recover from his wounds.
He returned to active duty in November 1917, was promoted to Corporal and sent to the Tank Corps Depot at Worgret Camp near Wareham in Dorset.
It was here that he contracted cerebra-spinal meningitis and died shortly afterwards at the Weymouth Isolation Hospital.
Although Wilfred is buried in Weymouth, he is not forgotten elsewhere. He is commemorated at St Annes Church on Sale Moor and on the War Memorial at Manchester University.
Gravesite Details
Tank Corps
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