WILLIAMS, Robert William
| Service Number: | 2703 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Penmachno, near Betws-y-coed, North Wales, 1890 |
| Home Town: | Maitland, Maitland Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Phthisis, Shorncliffe Military Hospital, Folkestone, Kent, England, 6 October 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Shorncliffe Military Cemetery, Kent, England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Aug 1915: | Involvement Private, 2703, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Aug 1915: | Embarked Private, 2703, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Sydney |
Help us honour Robert William Williams's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 6th October…… Robert William Williams was born in Penmachno, near Betws-y-coed, North Wales in 1890.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 15th June, 1915 as a 26 year old, single, Miner from Kurri Kurri, NSW.
Private Robert William Williams, Service number 2703, embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Runic (A54) on 9th August, 1915 with the 2nd Infantry Battalion, 8th Reinforcements.
On 4th November, 1915 Private Williams joined 2nd Battalion at Gallipoli Peninsula. He disembarked at Alexandria from Huntsgreen on 28th December, 1915 (after the evacuation of Gallipoli).
He embarked from Alexandria on Troopship Invernia on 22nd March, 1916 & disembarked at Marseille, France on 28th March, 1916.
Private Williams was sent to No. 3 Australian Field Ambulance on 6th June, 1916. He was transferred & admitted to No. 1 Australian Field Ambulance with P.U.O. (Pyrexia (fever) of unknown origin) on 7th June, 1916 then transferred to 1st Australian Divisional Rest Station on 8th June, 1916 with Influenza. Private Williams was admitted to No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station on 12th June, 1916 with Pleurisy & then transferred by Ambulance Train where he was admitted to No. 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital at Boulogne, France on 15th June, 1916. Private Williams was invalided to England from Boulogne on Hospital Ship St. Dennis on 18th June, 1916 with Pleurisy.
On 18th June, 1916 Private Williams was admitted to Manor House Hospital, Folkestone, England with Pleurisy (slight). Laboratory Tests for T.B. in regards to Private R. W. Williams were completed on 5th July, 1916 & the result was negative for T.B.
A letter dated 28th August, 1916 from Manor House Hospital to O.C. Military Hospital. Shorncliffe, regarding Private Williams stated he was in a serious condition & that the Medical Officer considered that at present he was not fit to be moved. The letter stated that Private Williams has had relations to see him.
He was transferred on 14th September, 1916 to Shorncliffe Military Hospital, Kent (date as per Hospital Admissions form). (Note: dates vary on when Pte Williams was transferred to Shorncliffe – Casualty Form Active Service records date as 31st July, 1916; Statement of Service form has date as 29th August, 1916. A letter dated 7th September, 1917 from Manor House Hospital states that Pte Williams was still a patient & was fit to be moved a short distance - for example Shorncliffe but was not fit for a railway journey.)
A Medical Report was completed on Private Robert William Williams on 12th September, 1916 at Shorncliffe Military Hospital, Kent, England. He was diagnosed with Phthisis which he had contracted in France in 1916. His symptoms had been a cough, poor appetite, had lost weight from 11 stone to 9 stone but still carried on in the trenches until around mid-June when he felt some pains when he coughed & took a long breath. The Medical Board reported that Private R. W. Williams had Tuberculosis of lungs following pleurisy which had been caused by active military service due to exposure in the trenches. The Medical Board decided on 19th September, 1916 that Private Robert William Williams be discharged as permanently unfit.
Two Laboratory Tests for T.B. were completed Private R. W. Williams on 13th September, 1916 & the result was negative for T.B. for one & positive for another.
Private Robert William Williams died at 2.30 pm on 6th October, 1916 at Shorncliffe Military Hospital, Kent, England from Phthisis.
He was buried in Shorncliffe Military Cemetery, Folkestone, Kent, England where 10 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/folkestone.html
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