Ldg Seaman Edward R Wilkin RNVR

[michaeldr]

Remembered on the GWF today

Leading Seaman Edward Robert Wilkin, L10/1809 RNVR

Of the Drake Battalion, the Royal Naval Division

Who died aged 26 on 9th July 1915 and is buried at the Skew Bridge Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey

And commemorated there on special memorial A.33

Edward was the son of Robert and Mary Ann Wilkin of Leigh-on-Sea

His number indicates that he was a pre-war volunteer with the London Division of the RNVR

He served with the Drake and the RND during their brief venture to F & F in 1914 and was awarded the 1914 Star. This was sent to his brother Mr I. H. Wilkin on 27th May 1919

Skew Bridge Cemetery was named from a wooden "skew" bridge carrying the Krithia road across the Dere, just behind the centre of the line occupied by the Allied forces on 27 April 1915. It was begun during the fighting of 6-8 May and used throughout the occupation. At the Armistice it contained only 53 graves but was greatly enlarged when further burials were brought in from the battlefields or small burial grounds in the area. There are now 607 First World War servicemen buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 351 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate a number of casualties [including Ldg. Seaman Edward R. Wilkin] known or believed to be buried among them. The cemetery covers an area of 2,210 square metres.