Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Staff Nurse Henrietta Williams was the daughter of Charles and Jane Williams of North Creek, via Ballina, NSW. She offered her services to the Red Cross in June 1915 after training at the Coast Hospital, Little Bay.

She sailed on 31 July 1915, and after nine months in Egypt went to France were she nursed for 18 months. During her service in France she suffered a number of serious illnesses including rubella, influenza and pleurisy.

Staff Nurse Williams was returned to Australia due to debility, on transport duties, in late 1917.

Re-enlisting in January 1918, under the name Henrietta Taylor-Williams in order to differentiate herself from another nursing sister named Henrietta Emily Williams of Gunnedah, she incorporated her paternal grandmother's maiden name into her surname.  She was assigned to nursing services at Victoria Barracks, Sydney and whilst there completed her qualifications as a nursing sister.

Her youngest brother, 724 Private David Williams, who had enlisted in late 1916 and was serving with the 4th Machine Gun Battalion, AIF died in September 1918 of wounds suffered during an attack on the Hindenberg Outpost Line near Vendellles, France.

Despite this tragic loss, Sister Henrietta Taylor-Williams embarked from Sydney for the Middle East in October 1918. Upon arrival in Egypt she became dangerously ill with pneumonia, before recovering and resuming nursing in early 1919. Then in May 1919 she contracted rubella again and was repatriated to Australia, arriving in late July.

Returning to civilian life, she became Matron of Deniston's Mens Convalescent Home at Eastwood. The historic residential home of the Terry family was utilized by the Board of Health as a recovery centre during the influenza epidemic. A cheerful and popular figure at the facility, Matron Henrietta endeared herself to the patients.

In 1925 at St Andrews Cathederal, Sydney she married 64 years old widower, Henry James Tompkins of Penrith. The couple lived in Sydney until his death in 1942, when Sister Williams returned to her native Ballina. 

Sister Henrietta Williams died, aged 77 years, on 30 March 1959 at Ballina.

Fittingly, in honour of her wonderful service during the Great War, her casket was draped in the Union Jack and the pallbearers at the East Ballina cemetery were all ex-servicemen.