Williams, John Richard Henry

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John Richard Henry Williams

13282, Serjeant, 9th Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Killed in action, 25 October 1916, aged 23
No known grave (Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France)

CWGC registered (no family recorded)

John Richard Henry Williams, the son of John Elias and Eleanor Williams, was born in Llandudno on 6 August 1893. In 1901, the family lived at 8 Augusta Street (back), Llandudno. John Elias was described as a railway carter. Ten years later, the family lived at 1 Levern Cottage, Brookes Street, Llandudno, John Richard being described as a butcher’s apprentice.

John Williams’ service record no longer exists. Soldiers Died in the Great War records that he enlisted at Wrexham, his regimental number was 13282 and that he was in the 9th Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers when he was killed in action. The 9th (Service) Battalion RWF formed at Wrexham on 9 September 1914; it was the second of the regiment’s New Army Battalions and John Williams’ regimental number corresponds with this date. The battalion initially moved to Tidworth but was in billets at Basingstoke by December 1914. It returned to Tidworth in March 1915 and disembarked at Boulogne on 19 July 1915.

Nothing is known about John Williams’ record in France except that he was killed in action on 25 October 1916 aged 23. The war diary records that the battalion was in bivouac at Ovillers Post carrying out working party duties – one officer was wounded and one other rank was killed that day. He has no known grave. A local newspaper reported that he had died on way to hospital after being hit by shrapnel just above the heart; since his place of burial is unknown, this is unlikely.

Known memorials:

  • Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
  • Llandudno Roll of Honour
  • Llandudno War Memorial
  • Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno

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