Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Fred Williams was born 28 Dec 1902 at Swansea in Wales. I am not sure when he arrived in Australia but in 1940 he was living at West Wooroolin when he enlisted in the Australian Army. His next of kin is shown as Joan Burow/Burrows who became Joan Jacobson in 1943.
Sergeant Fred Williams Army records are not yet available on the NAA website but when discharged on 13 Sep 1945 he was serving in the 2nd/2nd Docks Operating Company.
The Middle East Docks Operating Detachment was formed at Dimra in Palestine during January 1942. With the recall to Australia, the unit arrived in Adelaide in March 1942 where their early work was unloading the troops and equipment returning from the Middle East. In March an expanded unit became known as the 2/2nd Australian Docks Operating Company and in June they moved to Camp Pell in Victoria before leaving for New Guinea, via Townsville in July. They arrived in Port Moresby in September and operated the port there until July 1943 when they were relieved. Returning to Australia they moved to the RAE Training Centre at Kapooka.
In the story FROM AN ISLAND TO THE ISLANDS - Training at Coochiemudlo, by John Pearn and Maureen O'Connor I discovered that chaos on the Australian docks necessitated the raising of Army Docks Operating Companies from February 1942. Soon after the Australian Army returned from the Middle East it became obvious that water transport would be needed in the New Guinea Islands and that the Navy were quite incompetent in their efforts so the Army was given the job!
So we can assume that our Fred Williams served in New Guinea and most likely the Middle East.
Fred Williams returned to Wooroolin after the war and was involved in the formation of the Wooroolin-Tingoora RSL. He is included in the 1947 photo taken when Sir Raymond Huish visited Wooroolin. Ian Pedersen remembers that Fred lived in a small shack on the Pedersen farm at Wooroolin when he was young. Fred may have served in both World wars but I have not found a record for him which probably would be in UK. He certainly lived during both World Wars being born in 1902 in Swansea so 12 years old when WW1 started.
The last record I have found for Fred being on Electoral rolls at Wooroolin is in 1958. The only death record for a Frederick Henry Williams in QLD is in 1970 at Rockhampton and his death record cites no parents’ names.
Lest We Forget.