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The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”

Ernest Charles Williams was born at Yarrawonga, Victoria in 1894 to parents Thomas and Lillias Jessie Williams (nee Crabb).

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 15th July, 1915 as a 21 year old, single, Farmer from South Laceby, Victoria.

Private Ernest Charles Williams, Service number 3653, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Afric  (A19) on 5th January, 1916 with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 24th Infantry Battalion, 8th Reinforcements.

On 23rd February, 1916 Private Williams was allotted to & proceeded to join 57th Battalion from Zeitoun. He was taken on strength of 57th Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir on 23rd February, 1916 from 24th Battalion Reinforcements.

He was appointed Lance Corporal at Ferry Post on 21st May, 1916. Lance Corporal Williams embarked from Alexandria on 17th June, 1916 on H.T. Kalyan to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force). He disembarked at Marseilles, France on 24th June, 1916.

Lance Corporal Ernest Charles Williams was wounded in action in France on 16th July, 1916. He was admitted to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 16th July, 1916 with gunshot wounds to head. Lance Corporal Williams was transferred to Ambulance Train on 17th July, 1916 & admitted to 35th General Hospital at Calais, France on 18th July, 1916 with gunshot wounds to forehead. Lance Corporal Williams was reported to be dangerously ill on 20th July, 1916. He embarked for England on Hospital Ship Dieppe from Calais on 31st July, 1916.

Mr T. Williams, of Laceby South, Victoria, was advised by Base Records on 25th July, 1916 that his son was dangerously ill with gunshot wounds to forehead. A request was made on behalf of Mrs & Mrs Williams by W. C. Hill on 27th July, 1916 to Mr P. J. Moloney, Esq. M. P., Federal Parliament House, Melbourne for further information regarding their son’s injury & his whereabouts. Base Records replied to Mr Moloney that no further reports concerning Lance Corporal E. C. Williams had been received.

Lance Corporal Ernest Charles Williams died at 3.30 pm on 11th August, 1916 at 1st Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England from wounds received in action – gunshot wound to Head & Pneumococcus Meningitis.

He was buried in Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.

Newspaper item - Wangaratta Chronicle, Victoria – 4 October, 1916:

THE LATE LANCE-CORPORAL E. C. WILLIAMS

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Williams, of Laceby South, are in receipt of the following letters concerning their late son, Lance-Corporal Ernest C. Williams, who died on 11th August, from wounds : — Sister E. S. Riddall, of Ward 1, 35 General Hospital, France, writing on 6th July, says : — "I am sorry to tell you that your son, L.-C. Williams is in my ward with a severe wound of head, the piece of shell entering had broken his skull and there were some pieces of bone lying against his brain. The medical officer operated and relieved the pressure and he has improved since. We will send him to a hospital in England. He sends his love and says you are not to worry as he is making great headway. And he deserves to get well as he has been so good a patient and done everything to help himself to get well quickly.” On 29th July their son wrote as follows : — "Just a line We are now pulling into Cambridge; left France this morning, and had a good trip. I am getting on fine soon be myself again. Expect to have a good time when I got a few days' leave. Hope you are all well at home." On 12th August. Matron A. Macdonald, of the 1st Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge, wrote : — "I regret to tell you that your son died in this hospital yesterday. He was admitted on July 30th with a convoy of wounded from the front. He received a very bad head wound and underwent a severe operation in France. For the first few days after he was admitted — in fact up to about two days before he died — he seemed to be improving; but last Wednesday evening he was taken worse and it was found necessary to operate again. A very bad abscess was found on the brain, and he never really rallied. You will be comforted to know he died most peacefully, and the Presbyterian Minister was praying with him when he died. He always spoke most affectionately of you; and he was an excellent patient. He is to be buried here on Monday next, August 14th. I feel for you in your great loss, especially as you are so far away. Please accept my most sincere sympathy." Mr. C. B. Firth, writing from Newnham College, Cambridge, on 16th August, says : — "Will you allow me to send you my sympathy. The news of the death of your son in hospital here last Friday must have come as a terrible shock to you. He had been getting on well until a few days before. His name was on a list of Australians sent to a friend of mine whom I have been lately helping in her work of looking up all Australians who come to the Hospital. I saw your son twice and had nice, though short, talks with him and was able to leave him an Australian paper to read. It was shock to me when I heard he had died. The nurses did their utmost for him, and the doctors are highly skilled, so I know you may feel that he had much care. Your son has been one of those who have made my friend and myself, in visiting Australians, feel more strongly than ever the close bond of union between us all, and more conscious than ever of the great debt we owe to the magnificent loyalty and courage of the Australian soldiers. I have been much struck by their straightforwardness and wonderful cheerful patience and their constant courtesy — and, if you will allow me to say so, your son was a true Australian. We sent a bunch of flowers tied with red white and blue ribbon to put on the coffin."  

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)

https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/city.html