WILLIAMS, James Syddall
| Service Number: | 3892 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 29th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Allendale, Victoria, Australia , 1892 |
| Home Town: | Carlton, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Driver |
| Died: | Wounds received in action - both Legs amputated , Central Military Hospital, Eastbourne, Sussex, England, 25 January 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Eastbourne (Ocklynge) Cemetery, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom Y 1455 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 3892, 29th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Commonwealth embarkation_ship_number: A73 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 3892, 29th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Commonwealth, Melbourne |
Help us honour James Syddall 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 (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
James Syddall Williams was born towards the end of 1892 at Allendale, Victoria to parents Joseph Syddall Williams & Ellen Hall Williams (nee Grainger).
Joseph Syddall Williams, father of James Syddall Williams, died in 1911.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 6th July, 1916 as a 23 year old, single, Driver from 681 Nicholson Street, North Carlton, Victoria.
Private James Syddall Williams, Service number 3892, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Commonwealth (A73) on 19th September, 1916 with the 8th Infantry Brigade, 29th Infantry Battalion, 9th Reinforcements of the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 14th November, 1916.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He was marched in to the 8th Training Battalion (no date recorded).
On 17th December, 1916 Private Williams proceeded overseas to France from 8th Training Battalion on S.S. “Golden Eagle.” He was marched in to 5th A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) on 18th December, 1916 & marched out to join his Unit on 23rd December, 1916. Private Williams was taken on strength with 29th Battalion on 23rd December, 1916.
Private Williams was written up for an Offence – “Disobedience of orders in that he ate his emergency ration without authority on 13th April, 1917.” He was awarded 2 days Field Punishment No. 2 & had to pay for an emergency ration.
He was on leave from 23rd October, 1917 to 4th November, 1917.
Private James Syddall Williams was wounded in action in France on 22nd November, 1917. He was taken to 53rd Casualty Clearing Station on 23rd November, 1917 with bullet wounds to both legs. Private Williams was transferred to Ambulance Train 14 on 5th December, 1917 & admitted to 2nd Australian General Hospital the same day. Private Williams embarked from France on the Hospital Ship “St David” for England on 16th December, 1917.
On 16th December, 1917 Private Williams was admitted to the Eastbourne Military Hospital suffering from gunshot wounds to both legs – legs amputated.
The Medical Case Sheet from Eastbourne Military Hospital for Private J. S. Williams has the following information: Bomb wound both Legs. The Casualty Clearing Station had amputated both Private William’s legs. Right amputated above knee on 23rd November, 1917. Left amputated below knee on 25th November, 1917. On 15th January, 1917 Private William’s had to have his left leg re-amputated at Eastbourne Military Hospital.
The Red Cross Wounded & Missing file for Private J. S. Williams, 3892, 29th Battalion, contains a request from the Red Cross, on behalf of the relatives in Australia, of a bulletin of his sickness or wounds, dated 31st December, 1917. A Red Cross visitor replied on 5th January, 1918 – “Wounded Oct-Nov – Eastbourne M. Hospital – One leg has been amputated below the knee and the other above. He is in quite good spirits and when I saw him today was enjoying beef and vegetables. He is progressing favourably and his wounds are healthy.” The R.A.M.C. Registrar of Central Military Hospital, Eastbourne wrote the following information on 2nd January, 1918 – “Pte Williams is suffering from G.S.W. of both legs and has both legs amputated, he is progressing satisfactory, please.”
Private James Syddall Williams died at 9.50 pm on 25th January, 1918 at Central Military Hospital, Eastbourne, Sussex, England from wounds received in action (Gunshot wounds to both legs which were amputated).
He was buried in Ocklynge Cemetery, Eastbourne, East Sussex, England.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/eastbourne.html
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