Lance Corporal Reginald John Wilcox
Reginald John Wilcox was born on 16 March 1895 in The Parade, Acton Vale, London, the seventh of ten children of house painter and decorator James William Wilcox and his wife Alice Elizabeth (née Wilcox). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 273 Acton Lane, Chiswick with his parents and five of his seven surviving siblings, and working as a builder's clerk.
Wilcox enlisted in the 3rd (King's Own) Hussars in London on 17 June 1912 (No.8907), overstating his age by a year. He embarked for France with his regiment on 16 August 1914.
In September 1917, as part of a general reduction in the size of the cavalry, a number of men of the 3rd Hussars left the regiment. The war diary of 15 September records that:
56 other ranks of the regiment proceeded by rail from Hesdin to the Rouen Base for transfer to Infantry on the reduction of the 100 dismounted men allowed to Cavalry regiments.
Between twenty-eight and thirty-four of these men, including Wilcox, were transferred to the North Irish Horse, joining the 1st (NIH) Regiment in the field on 11 October. Wilcox was issued regimental number 2732.
On 7 January 1918 Wilcox was one of thirteen members of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment who transferred to the Tank Corps (No.305513). After training at the regiment's depot at Bovington near Wareham, he was posted to the 1st Battalion, returning to France on 13 April.
The 1st Battalion saw much action during the Advance to Victory offensive, at Amiens (8 to 10 August 1918), Albert (22 and 24 August), St Quentin Canal (29 September), 2nd Cambrai (8 October), and Selle (17 October).
Wilcox returned to England on 18 January 1919 and was transferred to the Army Reserve (Section B) on 11 July. On 7 November 1921 he rejoined the Hussars (No.7868710) in order to complete twelve years with the colours. He initially served with the 15th The King's Hussars then, from 22 April 1922, with the 3rd King's Own Hussars in Turkey and Egypt (and possibly in Ireland). On 14 October 1924 he was discharged (paragraph 363(xxi), King's Regulations), his military character recorded as 'very good'.
On 4 January 1920 Wilcox had married Rosina Clarice Sams in Brentford, London. It later emerged that she was already married (see articles below).
At the time of the 1939 Register, Wilcox was living at 38 Brookfield Road, Acton, London, with his wife Florence (née Brackley) – they had married in 1938 – and was working as a fireman instructor for the London Fire Brigade. He died in London in 1969.
The Acton Gazette and Express, 24 November 1922
The Acton Gazette and Express, 8 December 1922