Claude John Wilkinson was born on 20 Nov 1903 and Educated at Greshams School. After passing out at Sandhurst he was commissioned into the Norfolk Regiment on 31 Jan 1924. He served overseas in Cyprus, Egypt, Shanghai, Malaya and India until 1938. He was attached to the Palestine police from Sep 1938 to July 1941. He was then with the 2nd Bn Queen’s Royal Regiment serving in the Middle East and North Africa. He was CO of 2 Queen’s from march 1943 to Aug 1944 including the 2nd Chindit Expedition to Burma. He was awarded the DSO for his service in Burma. He was promoted to Brigadier and commanded 77th (Indian) Parachute Brigade, from 1945 to 1947. After several more postings he retired from the army on 18 Nov 1953. He was appointed Colonel of the Royal Norfolk Regiment on 26 August 1951, until 1959. In retirement he was a farmer. He died in Norfolk on 18 December 1998.
