D.T. Wilkins
Born 26 December 1924, Leeds, England
Died 30 January 2012, England,
273rd player to be capped by the Royal Navy Rugby Union
7 caps
Played against the Army in 1950, 1951,1952, 1953, 1957, 1958
Played against the Royal Air Force 1950, 1952, 1957, 1958
Inter Service Record
Played 10 Won 4 Drew 1 Lost 5
Inter Service Titles 1
1950 Royal Navy 6 Army 16
1950 Royal Navy 6 Royal Air Force 6
1951 Royal Navy 11 Army 0
1952 Royal Navy 3 Army 11
1952 Royal Navy 6 Royal Air Force 0
1953 Royal Navy 0 Army 3
1957 Royal Navy 3 Army 6
1957 Royal Navy 8 Royal Air Force 6
1958 Royal Navy 14 Army 0
1958 Royal Navy 3 Royal Air Force 14
Clubs
Roundhay
Dennis ‘Squire’ Wilkins was a thirteen cap England International playing from lock as well as a former captain of both the Royal Navy Rugby XV and the Yorkshire XV that played in the 1952-53 County Championship. He also played regularly for the Roundhay club.
His sport at school was soccer but he took up rugby on joining the Fleet Air Arm in 1943 and it was not long before he received Navy and Combined Services recognition. He won the Inter Services in his second year with the navy team and captained them in the 1952-53 season. He made his England debut (along with 9 others) at Swansea when England lost 23-5 to their Welsh counterparts. The previous year he had been arrested at Twickenham trying to climb a fence and get in to the same match for nothing.
His career in the Fleet Air Arm saw him join as an observer but transfer to being a pilot soon after the culmination of the Second World War. He saw service during the 1953 Korean War when he was loaned to the Royal Australian Service.
His last appointment before leaving the Service was as the Battery Commander for the 1958 Royal Tournament. After leaving the Service he had a very successful business career with first Kimberly-Clark and then Reeds International.