Arnold Wilson

For the British politician and solicitor, see Arnold Muir Wilson. For the New Zealand artist and educator, see Arnold Manaaki Wilson.

Sir
Arnold Wilson
KCIE CSI CMG DSO MP
Sir Arnold Wilson
Member of Parliament for Hitchin
In office
1933–1940
Preceded byViscount Knebworth
Succeeded bySeymour Berry
Personal details
Born(1884-07-18)18 July 1884
United Kingdom
Died31 May 1940(1940-05-31) (aged 55)
Near Eringhem, France
Political partyConservative
Parent
RelativesMona Wilson (half-sister)
Sir Steuart Wilson (brother)
EducationClifton College
Military career
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch British Army
 British Indian Army
 Royal Air Force
Years of service1903–1921 (Army)
1939–1940 (Air Force)
RankLieutenant colonel (Army)
Pilot officer (Air Force)
Unit32nd Sikh Pioneers
No. 37 Squadron RAF
Battles / wars
AwardsDSO

Sir Arnold Talbot Wilson KCIE CSI CMG DSO (18 July 1884 – 31 May 1940) was a British soldier, colonial administrator, Conservative politician, writer and editor.[1] Wilson served under Percy Cox, the colonial administrator of Mesopotamia (Mandatory Iraq) during and after First World War, including an Iraqi revolt in 1920. Wilson was the first Member of Parliament to die in action in the Second World War.[2] He was killed while serving as an aircrew member at the advanced age of 55.

In the 1930s, Wilson drew controversy for expressing support for Francisco Franco and sympathy for Nazi Germany, albeit he privately expressed disgust after visiting a concentration camp in 1936. During the war, he volunteered to fight, saying "I have no desire to shelter myself and live in safety behind the ramparts of the bodies of millions of our young men."[3][4][5]

  1. ^ Robert Pearce, 'Wilson, Sir Arnold Talbot', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) (Oxford University Press, 2004); online edn, Jan 2008. Accessed 13 June 2021.
  2. ^ "UK Parliament - British War Medal".
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).