WILLIAMS, Charles
| Service Number: | 1840 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 December 1914, Oaklands, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Stepney, South Australia, 31 January 1888 |
| Home Town: | Norwood (SA), South Australia |
| Schooling: | Norwood School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 4 September 1916, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Norwood Primary School Honour Board, Tusmore Burnside District Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Dec 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1840, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Dec 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Oaklands, South Australia | |
| 1 Apr 1915: | Involvement Private, 1840, 10th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières | |
| 1 Apr 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1840, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Lincoln, Adelaide | |
| 1 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1840, 10th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: '' | |
| 1 Apr 1915: | Embarked Private, 1840, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 1840, 50th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1840, 50th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1840 awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-09-04 |
Help us honour Charles Williams's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography
"THE LATE DRIVER C. WILLIAMS.
Mrs. M. J. Williams, of Chapel-street, Norwood, has received word that her son, Private Charles Williams, was killed in action in France on September 1, 1916. He was educated at the Norwood school, and was a member of E Company, 10th A.I.R., for some years. He was well liked and respected both in Norwood and Payneham. He was born in Stepney in 1889." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 28 Oct 1916 (nla.gov.au)
Biography
Charles Williams was born on the 31st of January 1888, in Stepney, South Australia. He lived in Norwood at 6 Chapel Street and completed his education at Norwood School. Charles had a brother, Vic Williams, who lived in Moonta, South Australia. Williams was 5 feet 7.5 inches, weighed 168lbs and had a chest measurement of 35/37. Charles had brownish green eyes, light brown hair and a fair complexion.
Charles Williams had worked as a labourer, was widowed by the age of 26 in 1914 and had no children. Williams enlisted for World War One at Oaklands, South Australia on the 9th of December 1914, and left from Adelaide to go to France aboard the HMAT A17 Port Lincoln on 1 April 1915. Williams was ranked as a Private throughout his experiences with different Battalions.
Williams was first positioned in the 10th Infantry Battalion 4th Reinforcements, and fought in the Battle of Pozières and the Battle of Mouquet Farm on 1st April 1915.
On 4th September 1916, Williams fought once again in the Battle of Pozières and Mouquet Farm, but this time, with the 50th Infantry Battalion.
Williams was involved with the 25th Infantry Battalion in McGillivray, Brisbane on the 7th September 1916, then returned to join the 50th Infantry Battalion.
Three and a half months into his service, Williams committed a minor offence. While in Morphettville, he was said to be absent without leave from 11pm on the 20th March 1915 to 2pm the next day. He was punished severely with three days taken from his pay. Aside from this, his general character was reported to be quite good.
Williams was admitted to a hospital in Gallipoli, after coming down with diarrhoea on the 18th August 1915 and was then transferred to Cas.C.Stn, and then again to Mudros on the same day. He left from Alexandria and was admitted to a hospital in Cairo for dysentry on the 25th August 1915. On the 15th September 1915, he was transferred to Mena House in Cairo, and around a month later, on the 28th October 1915, was transferred to duty in Zeitoun.
On the 25th November 1915, Williams re-joined the Battalion from sick, but was then taken to a hospital in Mudros two days later. He left at Alexandria on the 29th December after having been in hospital for a month and reached the 50th Battalion in Serapeum on the 26th February 1916. Williams was taken on strength in Tel-el-Kebir on the 27th February 1916, and posted to the Transport Sector in Serapeum some months later, on the 6th May 1916. The next day, on the 7th May 1916, he was promoted to Driver in field. A month later, on the 5th June 1916, he proceeded to join the British Expeditionary Force at Alexandria. Williams left from Marseilles on the 12th June 1916 and was killed in action in France three months later on the 4th September 1916.
After his death, his small collection of items – his brush, belt, pen and military booklet were forwarded to his mother.
Charles Williams was buried in Mouquet Farm, but his gravestone was placed at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Cemetery, where he has been given the plaque number of 316836. He was given the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, which is an Australian National Memorial in France.
Click images to start slideshow.