Lieutenant Colonel Wilkinson Dent Bird

Regiment: 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles
Date published: 22/01/1915
Killed in action: No
Information: Lieutenant Colonel Wilkinson Dent Bird, D.S.O., 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, who has been mentioned in despatches by General Sir John French. He was a son of the late Captain J. D. Bird, of the 20th Hussars, and in 1902 he married Winifred Editha, daughter of Major J. B. Barker. He was educated at Wellington College and R.M.C., Sandhurst. In 1888 he entered the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment, and became Captain and Brevet Major in 1897. He served in the Niger Expedition in 1897, and was mentioned in despatches, and was awarded the medal with clasp and was made Brevet Major. He also served in the North-West Frontier of India, for which he was awarded the medal with two clasps. During the South African War he was present at the Relief of Mafeking, where he was severely wounded. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the D.S.O. In 1909 he was made Brevet Lieutenant Colonel. Lieut. Colonel Bird has the Diploma of the Royal Geographical Society, and has published Lectures on the Strategy of the Franco-German and Russo-Japanese Wars, and also the Precis of Strategy.