Melville Wilks
Name: Melville Taylor Wilks
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service Number: 5864
Units Served: 48th Battalion
Personal Details:
Melville Taylor Wilks was born in 1894 in Meningie. Melville was a son of Joseph and Emma Wilks of Monteith South Australia and attended the Albert Hill school just north of Meningie. Melville was a strong member of the Meningie Gun Club. Melville was a labourer around the township of Meningie.
Enlistment Details: Melville Taylor Wilks enlisted at Meningie on April 1st, 1916 and was originally assigned to the 18th Reinforcement of the 10th Battalion.
Details about his role in War: Melville left Australia from Melbourne aboard the HMAT Berambah on the 27th June 1916 and arrived in Plymouth on the 25th August. Rom here went to the 3rd Training Battalion at Perham Downs and remained there until late October when he was sent to France. He was taken on strength by the 48th Battalion on the 29th October. He remained with the battalion throughout the first 6 months of 1917 which meant he would have seen action at the 1st Battle of Bullecourt on the 11th of April. This battle was a disaster for his battalion with many of his fellow soldiers killed, wounded or captured. On the 8th June during the Battle of Messines Melville was wounded with gunshot wounds to his leg and head. H spent a few days in hospital in Wimereux before being sent to hospital in England on the 12th June. He spent 2months here before being given a few weeks furlo and reporting back to the training battalion at Perham Downs. He stayed here throughout September 1917 before moving to Codford, joining the 12th Training Battalion there on the 3rd October. He left Codford in early March, rejoining his battalion on the 5th. Over the next month he would have seen action near Dernancourt when his battalion took place in 2 desperately fought battles that slowed and diverted the German advance toward Amiens. On the 11th April he was appointed as corporal in the field. On the 3rd May during an attack by the battalion on Monument Wood, Melville was killed in action.
Age at Death: 24
Cemetery: Crucifix Corner Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux.
Grave/Reference: III. C. 12.
