Charles Allen (Charlie) WILLIAMS MM and 2 Bars

WILLIAMS, Charles Allen

Service Number: 2700
Enlisted: 30 April 1915, Keswick, South Australia
Last Rank: Sergeant
Last Unit: 10th Infantry Battalion
Born: Wirrabara, South Australia, 2 September 1893
Home Town: Wirrabara, Mount Remarkable, South Australia
Schooling: Wirrabara Forest School
Occupation: Gardener
Died: Killed in Action, Crepey Wood, France, 11 August 1918, aged 24 years
Cemetery: Heath Cemetery, Picardie
Plot VII, Row G, Grave 20, Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, Picardie, France
Memorials: Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Wirrabara District WW1 Roll of Honour, Wirrabara War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

30 Apr 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2700, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1,

--- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: ''

30 Apr 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Keswick, South Australia
2 Sep 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2700, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Adelaide
23 Jul 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2700, 10th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières
11 Apr 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 2700, 10th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second)
31 Jul 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2700, 10th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres
21 Sep 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2700, 10th Infantry Battalion, Polygon Wood
22 Jun 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2700, 10th Infantry Battalion, Merris (France)
11 Aug 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2700, 10th Infantry Battalion, "The Last Hundred Days",

--- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2700 awm_unit: 10 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-08-11

Recommended for the MM (Awarded Second Bar)

About 9am, on the 30th July near Merris, Sergt WILLIAMS went out to locate an enemy machine gun post that had been annoying us. After locating it, he crept round unobserved by the enemy to the rear of it and after throwing two or three bombs, rushed the post. He found all the occupants including an officer either dead or wounded (with the exception of one man, who he brought in as a prisoner along with the gun). Throughout the operation this NCO showed compete contempt for his personal safety and his coolness and daring greatly inspired and greatly encouraged his platoon.

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Recommended for the Military Medal (Awarded Bar)

During the operations at Polygon Wood 19/22 Sep 1917, Sgt Williams rendered inestimable service. Throughout the whole action he showed conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. It was he, who, when after his platoon commander was hit, re-organised his men so they could continue the go forward as an organised body. During the enemy barrage, he went about in the open directing the men to dig in and showing stretcher bearers where wounded lay, all the while being exposed to heavy enemy shell fire and showing absolute disregard for same.

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Biography contributed by Sharyn Roberts

Charlie was born into a large family who owned a fruit and vegetable farm in Wirrabara Forest, South Australia. His parents had migrated to South Australia from the West Indies and were originally from Portugal. They arrived in 1876 with the first of their children on the ship Clyde. Their names were Charles and Mary. His elder brother Frank fought in the Boer War and Frank later named his son Eric Charles (DOB 02/02/1917) in honour of his brother. Eric's son was named Allen Lindsay also in honour of 'Uncle Charlie'. 

"WIRRABABA SOLDIER HONOURED AWARDED MILITARY MEDAL FOR BRAVERY

Mrs. M. Williams, of Wirrabara has forwarded us an official communication received from the Base Records Office, Melbourne, which reads as follows:—

I have much pleasure in forwarding hereunder a oopy of extract from Fourth Supplement No. 30135 to the London Gazette dated June 15, 1917, relating to the conspicuous services rendered by your son, No. 2700 sergeant (temporary) C. A. Williams,10th Battalion AWARDED MILITARY MEDAL. HIS MAJESTY THE KING has been graciously pleased to award the Military Medal for bravery in the Field to the under-mentioned officer:— No 2700 Corporal (now Sgt. temporary) CHARLES ALLEN WILLIAMS. The above has been promulgated in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. 169 of 4th, October, 1917. Yours faithfully, W. H. Osborne, Major. Officer in charge Base Records." - from the Laura Standard and Crystal Brook Courier 07 Dec 1917 (nla.gov.au)

"Sgt. C. WILLIAMS, M. M.

The late Sgt. Charles Williams, of the 10th Battalion, was killed in action on August 11, the sad news being conveyed to his relatives on the 25th anniversary of his birthday. The deceased was born at Wirrabara Forest and received his education at the local school. Prior to enlisting he worked with his brothers on their orchard. He enlisted in April, 1915 and left for the front in August, and with the exception of an illness, soon after his arrival in Egypt, had seen almost continuous service. For conspicuous bravery, displayed on the battlefield, he was awarded the Military Medal and Bar. The late Sgt. Williams was highly esteemed for his kindly disposition and manly ways, and was deservedly popular with all who knew him." - from the Laura Standard and Crystal Brook Courier 13 Sep 1918 (nla.gov.au)

 

Charles Williams died in the company of the following men from the 10th Battalion that day:

 

AHERN, James Phillip
Service number 2576B, Private, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in Action
CAMPBELL, Daniel George
Service number 6130, Private, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Born 5 Dec 1887, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in action
COLE, John
Service number 2450A, Lance Corporal, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in Service
FAINT, William (MM+Bar)
Service number 355, Sergeant, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Born 27 Dec 1895, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in Action
HARRISON, Frank Francis
Service number 7494, Private, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in action
MILLER, Alexander
Service number 3547, Corporal, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Aug 1918, Died of wounds
MUMFORD, Louis Rupert
Service number 3824, Private, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in Service
NOBLE, Thomas Nicholas Rowe
Service number 5251, Private, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in Service
PITT, Roy Henry
Service number 6567, Private, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in action
SUTCLIFFE, Alexander
Service number 2800, Lance Corporal, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in action
WILLIAMS, Charles Allen (MM +2 Bars)
Service number 2700, Sergeant, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Born 2 Sep 1893, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in Action
WINKLER, Charles William
Service number 3968, Private, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Aug 1918, Killed in action

 

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