Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Australian Remembrance Army

Over the past six years we have submitted the service records and causes of death of several hundred veterans to the Office of Australian War Graves for assessment for Official Commemoration. To date, more than 100 of these veterans interred at Lutwyche Cemetery have been accepted as Official Commemorations, and their graves are now being formally marked and will be maintained in perpetuity by the Office of Australian War Graves.

Australian World War One veteran Private Edward Albert Williams, is one of the previously unmarked WWI veterans’ graves in Lutwyche Cemetery that has been accepted as an Official Commemoration by the Office of Australian War Graves.
WWI service file:
See Australian Remembrance Army Facebook page

OAWG Official Commemoration:The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 1 (LAST RACE ALL DETAILS). Retrieved March 22, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231505490...

Edward Albert Williams was born in Brisbane, Queensland in 1893. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 11 January 1915 at Liverpool, New South Wales, recording his occupation as bookkeeper. On 11 February 1915, he embarked for overseas service with the 4th Battalion aboard HMAT Seang Choon, from Sydney.
He served at Gallipoli, where during the heavy fighting of August 1915, he experienced severe trauma, described later as “two narrow escapes,” and was evacuated suffering from shell shock, headaches, deafness, and worsening foot problems. He rejoined his battalion at Gallipoli on 1 October 1915 but was wounded in the face by a rifle bullet that same night. His condition continued to decline, and by April 1916 a medical board recorded “shell shock and deformed feet,” along with persistent dizziness, headaches, and impaired hearing that made marching impossible. He was discharged as medically unfit in August 1916.

After returning to civilian life, Williams initially believed he could recover without assistance and did not apply for a pension. However, he continued to suffer from chronic symptoms including headaches, giddiness, tremors, nervous exhaustion, partial deafness, and painful feet, as well as recurring dysentery contracted during his service. These conditions made it difficult for him to maintain steady employment; although he worked intermittently as a salesman and later as a temporary clerk, he frequently lost time due to illness. In 1917, medical authorities accepted that his condition, particularly the effects of shell concussion, was related to his war service, and he was granted a modest pension. This support proved short-lived. Subsequent reviews reassessed his earning capacity and, by 1919, his claim for continued assistance was rejected on the basis that he was no longer considered sufficiently incapacitated.

Williams’ later life was marked by ongoing ill health and financial hardship. In his own statements he described repeated breakdowns in health, long periods out of work, and the burden of contributing to his family’s support, including his mother, and two brothers who had returned from war injured. By May 1935 he had been admitted as a certified patient to Callan Park Mental Hospital, Sydney. An application was made for his maintenance, but after medical review the authorities determined that his mental condition was not attributable to his war service, and his claim was rejected. He received no further support under the repatriation system.

Private Edward Albert Williams died on 6 November 1954, aged 61, and was buried in Anzac Portion 8, Lutwyche Cemetery, Brisbane. He was unmarried with no known children.

In 2024, we received notification that the Office of Australian War Graves had accepted our application for an Official War Graves Commemoration.

After decades in an unmarked grave, his final resting place now bears a plaque commemorating his service to Australia, ensuring his name endures among those remembered for their duty and sacrifice. His identity and dignity have now been restored.

Lest We Forget