British man traces ancestor’s grave to Secunderabad after 119 years

Sixty-seven-year-old Robin Dickson from Northumberland, England, is overjoyed as he says his longtime dream has come true —he has found the grave of his great-grandfather, Lieutenant Charles Wilson, in Cemetery No. 12 of the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery, maintained by the CSI Wesley Cemetery Board in Trimulgherry, Secunderabad Cantonment, nearly 119 years after he was buried.

Lieutenant Charles Wilson.
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ARRANGEMENT

Lt. Wilson was born James Henry Dickson on May 4, 1858, at Waverton near Chester, England. His relatives will commemorate his 167th birth anniversary on May 4 this year in his remembrance. He served his last days in the 15th Mule Company in the Supply and Transport Corps of Madras Command in Secunderabad. After a brief illness, he died at the age of 48 in the Station Hospital, Trimulgherry, which is now known as the Military Hospital, Trimulgherry.

Interestingly, this is the second time in the last two years that The Hindu journalists have helped the families of the British soldiers who died and are buried here in one of the cemeteries over a century ago.

The first was when the grave of the great-granduncle of a 76-year-old Irish woman was traced in the now completely disused Cemetery No. 5 in Trimulgherry.

It all began last year when Dr. Robin Dickson emailed this writer after reading a 2023 article about a World War I soldier’s grave being found. He shared documents about his great-grandfather and sought help tracing his grave.

Robin Dickson, the great-grandson of Lt. Charles Wilson.
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ARRANGEMENT

Dr. Robin Dickson and his 75-year-old Indian friend, Prem Kamath, a Mumbai-based CXO coach, continued working together to make progress.

Caretaker of CSI Cemetery Nos. 5 and 12, two gravediggers, and D. Sudesh Kumar from the CSI Medak Diocese Communication Group made three failed attempts.

“We searched through the overgrown Cemetery No. 5 but found nothing. Just as we were losing hope, we tried Cemetery No. 12, which has about 75 British graves, and luckily, we found it in good condition,” Mr. Clinton recalls with joy.

When Dr. Robin Dickson heard about the discovery of the long-forgotten grave, he was stunned. “I almost fell off my chair,” he said.”

The grave of Lieutenant Charles Wilson (left) traced after 119 years to the Cemetery No. 12 at Trimuglherry in Secunderabad, Telangana.
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Ravi Reddy

“It will take me a while to take it all in. Ever since my parents passed away in 2004 and 2005, I had often wondered if I could ever find and visit his [Lt. Wilson’s] grave. Now, I finally have a strong reason to come to India”Robin DicksonGreat-grandson of Lt. Charles Wilson

“It will take me a while to take it all in. Ever since my parents passed away in 2004 and 2005, I had often wondered if I could ever find and visit his [Lt. Wilson’s] grave. Now, I finally have a strong reason to come to India,” he told The Hindu.

Dr. Robin Dickson said his great-grandfather worked as an apprentice with a provision and general merchant in Chester from June 2, 1873, to August 4, 1874, joined the British Army as a Private in the 50th Brigade in the United Kingdom on May 22, 1880, and was transferred to the 2nd Middlesex Regiment on July 1, 1881.

Lieutenant Charles Wilson with his wife Harriet Wilson in one of the photographs taken while he worked in Secunderabad in the late 1880s.
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ARRANGEMENT

On February 21, 1885, Lt. Wilson was transferred to the Madras Command, marking the start of his overseas service. He served in Sudan and came to India on October 1, 1885. His final posting was in Secunderabad, where he died after a short illness. Lt. Wilson was married to Ms. Harriet and had four children. The family left India in March 1907 and settled in Birmingham, England.

Dr. Robin Dickson said he became interested in his family history after his parents’ demise and discovered medals and documents which he didn’t know existed. During the 2020 lockdown, he began scanning and organising them, focusing mainly on Lt. Wilson and his wife, the oldest relatives he has detailed information about.

Harriet Wilson with her four children in one of the photographs
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Special Arrangement

“There are people in the U.K. in their late 60s and 70s who feel nostalgic about their ancestors who once explored remote parts of India, battling illness and surviving harsh conditions. However, many hesitate to begin searching for their roots, uncertain if it is possible due to the lack of proper infrastructure and support on the ground”Prem KamathCXO coach, Mumbai

Mr. Kamath said, “There are people in the U.K. in their late 60s and 70s who feel nostalgic about their ancestors who once explored remote parts of India, battling illness and surviving harsh conditions. However, many hesitate to begin searching for their roots, uncertain if it is possible due to the lack of proper infrastructure and support on the ground.”

Dr. Robin Dickson, a fourth-generation officer in uniformed service, now wants to come to Secunderabad with his wife, Ms. Lynn, to visit his great-grandfather’s grave. He says this trip is his way of paying tribute to all those who left the U.K. to serve in the armed forces around the world.