Born the son of Major-General
Bevil Wilson and educated at
Winchester College and
New College, Oxford, Wilson originally enlisted with the
King's Shropshire Light Infantry and was then
commissioned into the
Rifle Brigade in December 1940. He served in
World War II in
North Africa and in
Italy earning the
MC for taking the village of
Lusia. After the war he served as private secretary to the Commander-in-Chief of the newly independent
Pakistan Army. He was appointed chief of staff for the
United Nations force in
Cyprus in 1964, Commander of
147th Infantry Brigade in 1966 and Director of Army Recruiting at the
Ministry of Defence in 1967. He went on to be
General Officer Commanding North West District in 1970, Vice Adjutant-General in 1972 and General Officer Commanding
South East District in 1974 before retiring in 1977. In retirement he was given the colonelcy of the
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers from 1977 to 1982. He was also chairman and then chief executive of the Tobacco Advisory Council and a Football Correspondent for
The Sunday Times. ==Family==