Sapper Henry Williams

SAPPER HENRY WILLIAMS 4511 – 3rd Tunnelling Company

Born at Llanrwst, Denbigh, Wales, Henry was a single Miner of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia when he underwent a medical examination and completed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ on 27 February 1916 at Kalgoorlie.

Having been found to be ‘fit for active service’, he signed the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ and was enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force on 13 March 1916 at Blackboy Hill, near Perth, Western Australia.

He was 33 years and 8 months of age and stood 5ft 6ins tall. He weighed 136 lbs, had a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. Henry had the letters ‘H.W.’ tattooed on his right forearm and ‘H.R’ on his left forearm. He named as his Next-of-Kin his mother Mrs Elizabeth Williams of 11 Plough Street, Llanrwst, North Wales.

After a little more than a week at the 54th Depot Battalion, Henry was transferred to No.6 Tunnelling Company on 21 March and was officially appointed to that unit on 1 May by Captain F.W. Lawson, the O.C. of the No.6 Company.

Henry embarked for the European theatre with No.6 Company on board Warilda.

Two Sections of the Northern recruits to form the No.4 Company had embarked from Brisbane, Queensland early in May, 1916 aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, New South Wales (NSW). Six officers and 152 other ranks together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks made up the two sections.

At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW they joined their Headquarters and two sections (8 officers & 153 O.Rs.) plus 1st Reinforcements consisting of one officer and seventeen other ranks for final training.

The 7713-ton transport departed Sydney, NSW on May 22, 1916 and collected in Melbourne, Victoria the No.5 Company recruited from Victoria, South Australia & Tasmania consisting of a Headquarters and 2 Sections (8 officers & 173 men) (3 M.D.). 1 Section from Tasmania (3 officers & 76 O.Rs); also 1st Reinforcements for No 5 Company (17 men from Vic. & 8 men Tas.) The ship departed on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, S.A. to collect one Section of 3 officers & 76 O.Rs with 1st Reinforcements of 8 O.Rs. Docking at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916 No.6 Company recruited from W.A. of 14 officers and 325 O.Rs along with 1st Reinforcements of 1 Officer & 32 O.Rs embarked and Warilda departed the same day.

Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21, 1916 while St Vincent completed the African ports of call on July 7, 1916. Discipline was fairly good except at intermediate ports where soldiers going Absent Without Leave caused concern. The fifty-eight day voyage experienced remarkable pleasant weather and terminated at Plymouth, England on July 18, 1916. Four, Five and Six Companies comprising of 1064 officers and other ranks were detrained to Amesbury and Tidworth to begin training for the front.

Henry absented himself without leave from 2400 hours on 21 August to 1400 hours on 24 August and was awarded 7 days Confined to Barracks and forfeiture of 3 days pay.

According to surviving family – “He would have caught a train to Llanrwst to see his family as he had not see them for about 4 years. He would have been the talk of the town, this bronzed Welsh/Australian, the gold miner from Kalgoorlie Australia, dressed in the uniform of a sapper. I bet he had on a slouch hat. The local women of Llanrwst would have gone nuts over him. I bet he had a great time.” He proceeded overseas to France on 28 August and marched in to the Australian Divisional Base Depot at Etaples on 30 August. He marched out to the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company on 25 September and was taken on strength of that unit on 30 September.

Henry was a member of the 3ATC detachment that took part in the Battle of Lys and the unit history records in part:

‘The Detachment at Armentieres in the XVth Corps area, completed their work which was in time to be of great importance in the enemy attack which began on 9th April, and lasted for nine days till the 18th April.

The work of our Detachment and their behaviour during the attack was very creditable to everybody concerned. Unhappily a very capable and popular officer in the person of Lieut Neil CAMPBELL and 1057 Sapper KELLY, E. were killed, but only one other casualty occurred in the wounding of 4765 Sapper HOGAN, A.W. by a gun shot wound in the chest.

Lieut J. DOW, the officer with the Detachment who assumed command after Lieut Campbell was missing, in his report to the C.O. wrote:-

“ 4765 Spr HOGAN, A.W. was sniped through the left breast. 4746 Spr CAHILL, 6765 Spr HOW, 2891 Spr BLIZZARD and 4511 Spr WILLIAMS, H. carried him to Field Dressing Station. Spr Williams returned. The other three were stopped by an officer.”’ [see on this site: Western Front/3ATC’Battle of Lys]

Also recorded in the Unit history:

‘1/7/18, 2328 Spr Matson, J. was wounded. 2399 “ Parvelkin, J. “ “ 4511 “ Williams, H. “ “ and died the same day. [1/3 Lanc. F.A.]’

Henry was buried in the Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas-de-Calais, France. The service was officiated by the Rev. G.B. Hardy, attached to the 6th York & Lancashire Regiment.

The 3ATC Unit Diary records for 2 July 1916:

“ Company Order 776:- 2328 Spr J. Matson, 2399 Spr J Parvelkin and 4511 Spr H Williams were wounded by H.E. Shell at Givenchy on 1-7-18. 4511 Spr H. Williams died from wounds 1-7-18.”

The B103 Casualty Form Active Service for Henry records an entry by the CO, 1/3 W.Lancs Fld.Amb.:

“Died of Wounds – recd in action, at 1/3 W.Lancs. F.Amb. (10 A.M. – GSW Abdomen penetrating) In the Field, B.E.F. 1-7-18”

His personal effects were received by his mother on 14 August 1918.

A letter from Base Records Office of 17 October 1918 advised his mother that he had “died at 10 a.m. on 1st July, 1918, at 1/3 West Lancashire Field Ambulance, of wounds (gunshot wound abdomen) received in action . . .”

On 20 October 1918, Major Alexander Sanderson, Commanding the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company, forwarded photos of his last resting place to his mother, mistakenly referring to ‘your husband’ in the accompanying letter. The British War Medal (41126) and Victory Medal (40705) to which Henry Williams was entitled were issued to his Next-of-Kin by Australia House in London.

The pamphlet “Where The Australians Rest”, the Memorial Scroll and the Memorial Plaque were issued in England to Mrs E. Williams on 8 November 1922.

Henry Williams is commemorated on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour:

“WILLIAMS, Spr. Harry, 4511. 3rd Australian Tunnelling Coy. Died of wounds 1st July, 1918. Age 39. Son of Mrs. Elizabeth Parry (formerly Williams), of 11, Plough St., Llanrwst, Denbighshire, Wales, Wales. III. D. 2.”

His name is located at Panel 27 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.

The form: ‘Particulars Required for the Roll of Honour of Australia in the Memorial War Museum’ records that Henry attended the Llanrwst National School under Headmaster Mr. Griffith Jones and that his training included local mining and experience in English mines. It was believed he had Volunteer training in England.

It was also recorded that he was chiefly connected with the town of Kalgoorlie in Australia and it was under this town that his name ought to come on the Memorial.

55 Australian Tunnellers are buried in the Hersin Cemetery

Henry is in exceptionally good company