The son of a family who had farmed the same land since 1872, he started working on the farm from age 16. He grew raspberries and was a successful breeder of Devon cattle.
On 27 April 1932 he married Helen Calder, one of twins, at the Royal George Hotel in Perth.
After the war, he hosted the Fife and Kinross Small Bore Association for their annual shot on his farm in 1952. He was a member of Cupar Rotary Club.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fife & Angus' unallocated men | Patrol member | Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
Bell Baxter High School
Farmer
According to an article in Scotland on Sunday, Tom Wilson was recruited shortly after Dunkirk as the youngest of six men in a Patrol in Howe of Fife, north west of Cupar. He was telephoned by his Home Guard commander and told he had been selected for a special squad. He only found out who the others were at their first meeting, where they were briefed by Captain Eustace Maxwell.
The men received extensive training in weapons and explosives. Each was issued with a .38 revolver. Tom particularly recalled the smell and headache resulting from handling Nobel’s 808 explosive.
He recalled, “Sabotage was to be our business”. “ That was the one part that really worried me. Having to be ready to leave my family if necessary. And not being able to tell them why.”
It appears he subsequently left Auxiliary Units to become the Weapons Training Officer for the 1st Fife Home Guard Battalion. He received a Certificate of Commendation for his work in this role from the General Officer Commanding Home Forces, citing his diligence, tirelessness and efficiency. In November 1944, he was awarded an MBE for his actions during a grenade training accident at Newburgh on 23 April 1944. A trainee he was supervising failed to throw the Number 36 grenade beyond the cover and it rolled back. Lieutenant Wilson tried to move the grenade to a safe distance, but with a 4 second fuse, it exploded, seriously injuring him. He recovered gradually but was still able to help make safe ammunition stores and flame Fougasse devices.
His name does not appear on the available Nominal Roll for Fire and Angus, though this may be incomplete. Elsewhere, where men leave prior to May 1942, they do not appear. It is unclear who the other members of his Patrol were.
Dundee Evening Telegraph 27 Apr 1932
Dundee Courier 28 Apr 1932, 6 Dec 1991
Scotland on Sunday 24 Jun 1990
Fife Herald 16 Jul 1952, 6 Dec 1991
Edinburgh Evening News 13 Nov 1944
London Gazette 10 Nov 1944
WO 373/68/791 recommendation for award