Roll of Honor
Incident
William Wilson was born at Ballycumber in 1864 and joined the RIC in 1882. While many senior policemen of the time joined the force as cadets, Wilson was a rank-and-file officer who was promoted to District Inspector in 1910. In 1917, his son Eccles Wilson was severely wounded while serving with the Royal Irish Regiment on the Western Front.
Throughout 1917 and 1918 relations in Tipperary between some members of the RIC and the Irish Volunteers descended into outright hostility. Serving in Templemore, William Wilson, along with his fellow D.I. Michael Hunt of Thurles, became ‘bétes noires’ for local republicans. In June 1919, a unit of the Mid-Tipperary IRA shot D.I. Hunt dead in Liberty Square, Thurles.
Wilson represented the RIC at Hunt’s inquest and temporarily took charge of the Thurles district.
In July 1920 Wilson lead an RIC patrol that shot dead IRA Captain Michael Small at Shevry, near Upperchurch. Following Small’s death, the IRA increased its efforts to kill Wilson, deploying a unit assembled by Mid-Tipperary O.C. Jimmy Leahy. The group was comprised of many of those who had taken part in the earlier shooting of D.I. Hunt.
William Wilson was shot dead on Patrick Street, Templemore, at 6:45pm on 16th August 1920. He was in plain clothes entering a shop.
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- April 8, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
District Inspector Wilson served with the Royal Irish Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, District Inspector Wilson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
District Inspector William Harding Wilson is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In L, 592 of 749 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 79% of this state's fallen. That is 24.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Royal Irish Constabulary, 519 of 642 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Harding Wilson's cause is highlighted.
How William Harding Wilson Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Harding Wilson is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
641 officers from Royal Irish Constabulary are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
