WILLIAMS, George Shannon
| Service Number: | 930 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 August 1915, Enlisted at Rockhampton |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, August 1888 |
| Home Town: | Rockhampton, Rockhampton, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Carpenter |
| Died: | SW to head, 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom, 19 December 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Brighton Borough Cemetery, East Sussex, England Burial details Z.I.F, Grave 10 Rev. Bevan officiated Coffin was made of good polished elm, Brighton City Cemetery (Bear Road), Brighton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Alton Downs War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 930, Enlisted at Rockhampton | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 930, 3rd Pioneer Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
| 6 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 930, 3rd Pioneer Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Melbourne | |
| 11 Oct 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, In the field | |
| 11 Mar 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, In the field | |
| 22 Apr 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, Citation reads: 1st Instance - Zealous work, in voluntarily working 18 to 20 hours a day in order to push on some special work in Front Line trenches. 2nd Instance - Assisting an Officer who was partially buried by a shell explosion in Trench S.S. 88, and then rendering first aid, and carrying him to a place of safety, although he (Sergeant WILLIAMS) was also, severely shaken by the explosion of the same shell. 3rd Instance - Assisting a wounded man at Hyde Park Corner, on Tuesday 18th April, 1917. A motor lorry was standing at Hyde Park Corner on Tuesday 17th April, 1917, when it was struck by a shell and ignited. Cries of help were heard and Sergeant Williams rushed toward, and jumped into the burning lorry, where he found the attendant badly wounded, and removed him to a place of safety Source: Commonwealth Gazette' No. 95 Date: 27 June 1918 | |
| 10 Jun 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 930, Remained on duty | |
| 12 Oct 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 930, Remained on duty | |
| 24 Nov 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 930, Wounded for the third time. Multiple shrapnel wounds to the head | |
| 19 Dec 1917: | Involvement Sergeant, 930, 3rd Pioneer Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 930 awm_unit: 3 Pioneer Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-12-19 |
Help us honour George Shannon Williams's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Husband of Bridget Williams; father on John Gerald Williams
Medals: Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK
Died on this date – 19th December.....George Shannon Williams was born at Rockhampton, Queensland around 1887. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 30th August, 1915 as a 28 year old, married Carpenter from Rockhampton, Queensland.
Private George Shannon Williams embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Wandilla (A62) on 6th June, 1916 with the 3rd Pioneer Battalion “C” Company & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 26th July, 1916. Private Williams was reported as being A.W.L. (Absent without leave) for 6 hours while docked at Capetown on 3rd July, 1916. This was admonished by Captain A. G. Stephenson & he forfeited 1 days’ pay.
3rd Pioneer Battalion
The 3rd Pioneer Battalion was an Australian infantry and light engineer unit raised for service during the First World War as part of the all volunteer Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Trained as infantrymen, the pioneers were tasked with light combat engineer functions in the field, with a large number of personnel possessing trades from civilian life. The concept had existed within the British Indian Army before the war, but was adopted by the Australian Army in early 1916 to meet a need for troops with construction and engineering skills to assist with digging trenches, labouring, constructing strong points and undertaking battlefield clearance. As such, they were designated as pioneer units. At the same time, they could be pressed into the line to fight alongside regular infantry where required.
Detailed training began at Campbellfield shortly after concentration and in May the battalion marched through the streets of Melbourne, before being presented with its unit colour. They were subsequently laid up at St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne prior to embarkation. They departed Australia on the transport Wandilla on 6 June 1916, and endured a seven-week voyage to the United Kingdom, sailing via Cape Town. After arriving in the United Kingdom, the battalion subsequently concentrated with the rest of the 3rd Division around Larkhill on Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire. Between July and November 1916, the 3rd Pioneers carried out intensive training to prepare them for their arrival on the Western Front. Finally, on 25 November the battalion entrained at Amesbury bound for Southampton from where they were ferried across the English Channel to Le Havre.
(Pioneer Battalion information from Wikipedia)
Private George Shannon Williams was appointed Lance Corporal on 11th October, 1916 while posted in England. He proceeded overseas to France on 24th November, 1916 & was promoted to Sergeant on 11th March, 1917.
Sergeant George Shannon Williams was recommended for the Military Medal on account of the following actions:
1. Zealous work, in voluntarily working 18 to 20 hours a day in order to push some special work in Front Line Trenches.
2. Assisting an Officer who was partially buried by a shell explosion in Trench S.S. 88, and then rendering First Aid, and carrying him to a place of safety, although he (Sergeant WILLIAMS) was also severely shaken by the explosion of the same shell.
3. Assisting a wounded man at HYDE PARK CORNER, on Tuesday 17th of April 1917.
INCIDENT:-
A motor lorry was standing at HYDE PARK CORNER on Tuesday 17th April, when it was struck by a shell and ignited. Cries of help were heard and Sergeant WILLIAMS rushed toward, and jumped into the burning lorry, where he found the Attendant badly wounded, and removed him to a place of safety.
Sergeant George Shannon Williams was wounded in action on 10th June, 1917 but remained on duty.
Sergeant George Shannon Williams was wounded in action (2nd occasion) on 12th October, 1917 but remained on duty.
Sergeant George Shannon Williams was wounded in action (3rd occasion) on 24th November, 1917. He was invalided to England on 14th December, 1917 on Hospital Ship Jan Breydal with GSW to head & admitted to 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton, Sussex, England on 15th December, 1917 with Shell wounds to head – severe.
Sergeant George Shannon Williams died on 19th December, 1917 at 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton, Sussex, England from wounds received in action - shrapnel wound to head (laceration of brain.) He was buried in Brighton City (Bear Road) Cemetery, East Sussex, England where 28 other Australian WW1 Soldiers are buried.
Sergeant George Shannon Williams was awarded the Military Medal. (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette – 27 June, 1918) (The London Gazette – 28 January, 1918)
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/bear-road.html
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