Stanley Howard PILKINGTON

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PILKINGTON, Stanley Howard

Service Number:	1283
Enlisted:	11 October 1916
Last Rank:	Second Lieutenant
Last Unit:	No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
Born:	Auckland, New Zealand, February 1889
Home Town:	Lithgow, Lithgow, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Fitter and Turner
Died:	Aeroplane accident, ½ mile east of Yatesbury Aerodrome. Wiltshire, England., 24 October 1917
Cemetery:	Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom Plot XI, Row D, Grave No. 20
Memorials:

World War 1 Service

11 Oct 1916:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Class Air Mechanic, 1283, No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
6 Dec 1916:	Involvement 1283, No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: ''
6 Dec 1916:	Embarked 1283, No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, HMAT Orsova, Melbourne
18 Oct 1917:	Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
24 Oct 1917:	Involvement Second Lieutenant, No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps awm_rank: Second Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-10-24

Help us honour Stanley Howard Pilkington's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 24th October…… Stanley Howard Pilkington was born at Avondale, Auckland, New Zealand & his birth was registered in the March quarter,1889 in Auckland, New Zealand.

His father – Edmund Pilkington died on 2nd October, 1895 at Avondale, Auckland, New Zealand.
The 1901 Scotland Census recorded Stanley Howard Pilkington as a 12 year old Scholar, living with his grandparents at 46 Irvine Place, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

According to information provided by his mother for the Roll of Honour – Stanley Pilkington arrived in Sydney, NSW when he was 24 years old.

Stanley Howard Pilkington enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 11th October, 1916 as a 27 year old, single, Fitter & Turner from Lithgow, NSW.

He was posted to Recruits at Show Ground Camp, Sydney, NSW from 11th October, 1916 & then was transferred to 3rd Reinforcements, A.F.C. (Australian Flying Corps) from 16th October, 1916.

Air Mechanic 2nd Class Stanley Howard Pilkington, Service number, 1283, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Orsova (A67) on 6th December, 1916 with the 2nd Australian Flying Squadron, 3rd Reinforcements & disembarked at Devonport, England on 3rd March, 1917.

Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.

He was marched in to Australian Details – Camp 6 & 7 on 4th March, 1917. Air Mechanic 2nd Class Pilkington was marched out to A.F.C. (Australian Flying Corps) Depot at Perham Downs, Wiltshire on 6th March, 1917 & was marched in to A.F.C. Depot No. 6 Camp at Perham Downs, Wiltshire on 7th March. 1917.

From 1st June, 1917 Air Mechanic 2nd Class Pilkington was On Command at School of Technical Training, A.F.C. Reading.

Air Mechanic 2nd Class Pilkington was attached to No. 29 Training Squadron at Shawbury from 15th June, 1917 pending transfer. He was On Command for Instruction at Tern Hill (29th Wing) from 17th June, 1917.

He was marched out to A.I.F. Headquarters on 6th July, 1917 as Cadet.

Having graduated as Flying Officer (Pilot) – Cadet Stanley Howard Pilkington was appointed Second Lieutenant in A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Force) (A.I.F. List 251) & was posted to Australian Flying Corps from 18th October, 1917.

On 24th October, 1917 Second Lieutenant Pilkington was piloting R.E.8 Serial number A3841 from No. 66 Training Squadron, Yatesbury, Wiltshire when it stalled & nose dived ½ mile east of Yatesbury Aerodrome. Wiltshire, England.

Second Lieutenant Stanley Howard Pilkington died on 24th October, 1917 at Yatesbury, Wiltshire, England as a result of an aeroplane accident.

A Court of Enquiry was held at Yatesbury, Wiltshire on 24th October, 1917 by order of Major A. M. Morison, Commanding No. 66 Training Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, for the purpose of enquiring into the accident to RE 8 Machine No. 3841, Engine No. 29481 WD 12311, whereby the Pilot Cadet S. H. Pilkington, A.F.C. was killed on 24th October, 1917 near Yatesbury, Wiltshire, England.
Finding:
The Court found that the accident was due to a nose dive but there was no evidence to show what caused the nose dive. Cadet Pilkington was a capable Pilot & able to fly the machine. The machine & engine were in good order when Cadet Pilkington left the ground.
A Medical Certificate was produced & “certified that Cadet S. H. Pilkington died as the result of fracture base of Skull on 24.10.17.”

He was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery where around 360 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/mor---p.html

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