WILKINS, PTE FREDERICK ‘FRED’ HENRY - Regimental #624588
Frederick Henry Wilkins was born May 10, 1877. The family lived above Maple Island in Ferrie Township. Fred’s parents died when he was quite young and he lived with Sam and Amelia (Ross) Paul. (His sister Fanny married David Crisp of Fairholme.)
Frederick moved west to Fort Saskatchewan where he was listed as living at the time of his enlistment Jan. 24, 1916. He joined the 151st Overseas Batt. C.E.F. He embarked from Halifax with the 151st Overseas Battalion CEF on the SS California on October 3, 1916, arriving in Liverpool on October 13, 1916. On October 14 he was assigned to the 11th Reserve Battalion and in November was assigned to the 78th Battalion. He joined his unit in the field on November 25, 1916. (His service in France began Nov. 15, 1916.)
On April 9, 1917 he received a shrapnel wound to his left leg and was hospitalized.
He returned to his unit by November 12, 1917.
On October 10, 1918 was again wounded, this time much more seriously - a fractured humerous of his left arm, injury to his left hand that ultimately required the amputation of his 4th finger on left hand; and injury to his left foot. He was invalided back to Canada in May 1919 and discharged September 30, 1919.
In his medical discharge at Edmonton Military Hospital, September 19, 1919 it was noted that he had received a gunshot wound in his left arm, hands and legs and that he had limited movement of his left arm and shoulder:
The 78th Battalion was authorized on 10 July 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 20 May 1916. It disembarked in France on 13 August 1916, where it fought as part of the 12th Brigade, 4th Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the armistice. The 78th was part of the Canadian offensive at Vimy Ridge. On the opening day of that offensive, April 9, 1917 the 11th and 12th Brigades of the 4th Canadian Division failed to take their objective, Hill 145. The 38th, 72nd, 73rd and 78th Battalions of the 12th Brigade took heavy losses trying to hold their positions, in the face of the 11th Brigade's inability to push forward. It was during this attack the Fred Wilkins was wounded the first time. Fred’s second, more serious wounding would appear to have been in the battle for Cambrai.
