Capt J L Wilson’s Fine Service in Italy

First Rushden officer to win the Military Cross in the present war is Capt John Loake Wilson, Royal Artillery of “The Higher Grange,” Hayway. A cable that his wife received from him on Monday stated briefly that the award was made on January ..., but nothing more is known except that he is serving in Italy and has been frequently in action with the 8th Army since taking part in the first landing on Sicily.

Congratulations have been pouring upon Mrs Wilson, who is the elder daughter of Mr and Mrs John White, of Rushden, for the gallant officer has a host of friends in the county and is well known to the general public of Rushden, Kettering and Wellingborough for his professional work as auctioneer and estate agent.

Capt J L Wilson is the younger son of Mrs A M Wilson, the Headlands, Kettering, and the late Mr H M Wilson who served during the last war as a captain in the ... Northamptonshires and won the Territorial Decoration. One of his grandfathers was the late Mr Matthew C Wilson, auctioneer and estate agent, and the other was the late Mr W M Loake, also of Kettering.

Volunteering for service in June 1940, he joined the Royal Artillery as a gunner and passed through an OCTU course before receiving his commission early in 1941. He went abroad with a medium unit last June, and has lately been Adjutant of his regiment.

Capt Wilson was educated at Wrekin College, Wellington, and afterwards played Rugby football with the Kettering Town Club, also joining the Rushden and Kettering Golf Clubs. He established his business in Rushden about four years prior to his marriage to Miss Florence White in September, 1936. His age is 34 years.

Mrs Wilson is doing secretarial work in connection with the welfare of wives and relations of members of her husband’s regiment. Her chief war work, however, is at the Higahm Ferrers canteen of Messrs John White Ltd.

His obituary