John Joseph Williams

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Sat, 21/11/2015 - 10:48

First Name:

John

Middle Name:

Joseph

Last Name:

Williams

Date of Birth:

Thursday, May 27, 1886

Mother's Name:

Mary Williams nee Lannen

Father's Name:

Michael Williams

Date Enlisted:

Monday, January 17, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

30th Battalion

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Wednesday, October 10, 1917

Place of Death:

Polygon Wood, Belgium

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Details:

John Williams (Service No 3339) was born in Clifton, N.S.W. in 1886.

In 1908 John married Clara Marshall.

When he enlisted at the age of 29, John was working as a miner and the family lived at Woonona, N.S.W. It is interesting to note that despite being deaf since childhood, John was accepted into the AIF; somehow he managed to pass his medical at enlistment.

John embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A20 Hororata with 7th Reinforcements, 30th Battalion on 2nd May 1916. After a stop in Egypt he arrived in France on 2nd August 1916 and joined 30th Battalion on 21st September 1916.

John was admitted to hospital on 1st December 1916 suffering from trench foot and then transferred to hospital in England on 7th December. It was in early 1917 while he was still in hospital, that the Army became aware of John's deafness, however he was allowed to return to the front.

John returned to France on 4th April 1917 and served on the Western Front until he was killed in action at Polygon Wood on 10th October 1917.

There is no known grave for John; he and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, WILLIAMS J J