Sapper Edward Williams

SAPPER EDWARD WILLIAMS

3516A – 1st Tunnelling Company

Born Edmund Robert Charles Williams at Leichhardt, Sydney, New South Wales (NSW) in 1888, he was the third child and first son of Charles John and Eleanor M. (nee Baker) Williams.

Edmund underwent a medical examination at the Town Hall Recruiting Depot on 28 January 1916 where it was recorded that he was 28 years of age, stood 5ft 6ins tall, weighed 138 lbs, had a dark complexion, blue eyes and black hair. He was found to be ‘fit for active service’.

He completed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ on 7 February 1916. The ‘Paper’ is headed Williams, Edmund, the next line reading Williams, Edward. He signed the Attestation, and the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’, on 7 February at Casula, near Liverpool, NSW, using the signature ‘E. Williams’ for both forms.

A single quarryman of Petersham, he named as his Next-of-Kin his father Charles John Williams of 17 May Street, Petersham. His mother, Eleanor Williams, of the same address, is also annotated on the Attestation Paper.

Initially appointed to ‘C’ Company, Depot Battalion, Roseberry Park on 25 March, he was officially appointed to Miners Reinforcements at Seymour, Victoria on 15 August 1916, although it is believed he had been training with them for some time before this date.

Edward embarked with 4th Reinforcements on Orontes. The 81 Reinforcements embarked on the transport RMS Orontes on 16th August, 1916 from Melbourne, Victoria. The mail ship docked at Adelaide, South Australia and Fremantle, Western Australia, departing on August 23, 1916. After leaving the stormy Australian coast, they docked at the African ports of Durban, Capetown and St Vincent and after fifty-two days at sea of generally fine and mild weather arrived at Plymouth, England on October 2, 1916. They were detrained to Tidworth and marched in to No.3 Details Camp at Parkhouse.

On 3 October 1916 he marched in to the No.3 Camp and on 11 October Edward was charged with being Absent Without Leave from 2400hrs 8 October to 1200hrs 9 October. He was awarded 4 days ‘Confined to Barracks’ (C.B.) and forfeiture of one days pay.

Most of the Reinforcements proceeded overseas to France on 15 October 1916 and were marched in to the Australian General Base Depot (AGBD) at Etaples on 19 October.

Found to be ‘out of bounds’ on 12 November, he was awarded 4 days C.B. and forfeited another 4 days pay.

Edward was taken on strength of the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (1ATC) on 11 November 1916 and was re-allocated Regimental Number 3516A on 10 January 1917. At that time, 1ATC had just taken over responsibility for the Hill 60 system and Edward would have been employed on the maintenance of the Hill 60 and Caterpiller mines and the construction of the underground dugouts and accommodation facilities within the Hill 60/Larchwood areas.

He was admitted to the 98th Field Ambulance on 29 October 1917 with P.U.O. (pyrexia of unknown origin) and was transferred to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station the next day where he was diagnosed with trench fever and transferred by Ambulance Train 18 to the 10th General Hospital at Rouen on 1 November.

On 7 November he was evacuated to England on board Warilda and admitted to the Reading War Hospital on 8 November. Discharged to furlough on 28 December, he was to report to No.1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on 11 January 1918. On 21 February he marched out of Sutton Veny to the Overseas Training Battalion at Longbridge Deverill.

Edward again proceeded overseas to France on 22 March and marched in to the AGBD at Rouelles on 23 March, being hospitalised with scabies on 25 March. Treated at the 39th General Hospital at Havre, he returned to the AGBD on 29 April, re-joining his unit in the field on 15 May.

Edward enjoyed some leave to Paris between 19 and 31 January 1919. He reported sick on 9 February and was evacuated to England on 25 February. Discharged from hospital to the Convalescent Training Depot on 26 April, he marched out to No.1 Command Depot on 6 May.

He left London on 31 May 1919 for return to Australia on board Aeneas, disembarking in Melbourne on 12 July 1919. Edward was discharged from the A.I.F. on 28 August 1919, entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

“The Mayor, Alderman and Citizens of the Municipality of Petersham, N.S.W”, presented Edward with a patriotic certificate recognising his service to King and Country.

His documents were forwarded to the Repatriation Commission, Sydney in March 1932

Reunions

Past members of the Australian Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company and Tunnellers Companies gathered on or about Anzac Day for a reunion luncheon. We have had access to some of their records, which were very well kept and are quite detailed.

Edward’s name appears on the Tunnellers Reunion Register in 1968, giving his address as: 10a Elliott Street, Balmain, with a note changing his address to Mrs. Fraser (daughter), 205 Glenmore Road, Paddington. A further note records: ‘Deceased, Reveille, 1 January 1964’.

Mrs. Fraser was the wife of Alex Fraser and Edmund’s daughter Pam from his second marriage to Ella Florence May JACK in 1939.

Several items of memorabilia are held by his family.

Note:

A number of forms in his documents are in the name of Edmund, or E. Williams. The B103 Part 1 form has the typed ‘Edmund’ crossed out and pen amended to ‘Edward’. The B103 forms, recording his day-to-day occurrences, are headed ‘Edward’.

compiled with the assistance of Bruce & Janice Edmundson, grandson & granddaughter of Edward Williams.

Photos courtesy Bruce & Janice.