Private John Wilde
- Rank
- Private
- Appointment
- Australian Army 1918 Western Front
- Service number
- 7151
- Unit
- 16 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Hebuterne, France
- Date of death
- 5 April 1918
- Age
- 27
- Plaque number
- M106A
- Co-located plaques
- M106 - CPL Edward Sergeant
- Dedicated by
- His grandchildren on 17 November 2018
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private John Wilde was born in 1890 at Wellington, Shropshire, England to Thomas and Elizabeth Wilde. He had five brothers and three sisters.
Although little is known of his early life in England, it is known that John had an interest in agriculture. He left England at the age of 20, hoping to be granted land.
John arrived in Western Australia in 1911 and secured a block of land at Dangin in the shire of Quairading. He developed his land and became a successful wheat farmer.
John married Olive Ecroyd in 1917 and they had a daughter, Bessie.
John enlisted in the AIF in October 1916 and left Australia for Europe on HMAT Port Melbourne in July 1917, with the reinforcements for 16 Battalion. He joined his battalion in France in January 1918. During 1916 and 1917, the battalion had suffered heavy losses during their fighting on the Somme and advancing to the Hindenburg line in Belgium.
In March and April 1918 16 Battalion helped stop the German Spring Offensive.
Private John Wilde, service number 7151 of 16 Battalion, was killed in action on 5 April 1918 at Hebuterne, France.
He was 26 years of age. He is buried in the British Euston Road cemetery, Colincamps, Picardie, France.
His plaque is placed alongside Corporal Edward George Sergeant of 16 Battalion, who served with Private John Wilde and died on the same day.