Williams, William George Powdridge

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William George Powdridge Williams

Captain, 17th Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Died of wounds, 29 August 1917, aged 26
Buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium

CWGC registered (Son of Mr and Mrs H Williams, of Llandudno; husband of Amy Evelyn Williams, of “Inglehurst”, Sylva Gardens, Llandudno)

William George Powdridge Williams was born in Llandudno on 12 February 1891. He was the son of (David) Henry Powdridge Williams, who worked for the Post Office and was a prominent member of the Ebeneser Welsh Wesleyan Chapel, and his wife Dora. The Census of 1891 records the couple living at “Castleton House”, James Street, Llandudno with a daughter Mary (5) and William (3 months). Ten years later, the family lived at “Tryphena House”, Lloyd Street; William was recorded as Willie George, a scholar. William attended Lloyd Street School and was transferred to the John Bright County School in July 1904. He attended the Westminster College of Pharmacy and in 1911, William was a boarder at 3 Cremorne Road, Chelsea. The census for that year recorded him as a chemist assistant.

Details of William Williams’ service life are rather scant. He probably did cavalry training with the 7th Reserve Regiment of Cavalry at Tidworth. He disembarked in France on 4 December 1915 and joined the 9th Lancers with a regimental number of 4754. He transferred to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on being granted a commission. A local newspaper reported his marriage at St. John’s English Wesleyan Church, Llandudno on 24 January 1917 to Amy Evelyn Fleming (b 1888, Penrith). William Williams was given a battlefield promotion to captain and served with the 17th (Service) Battalion.

William Williams died of wounds on 29 August 1917 aged 26 at No 4 Casualty Clearing Station, Belgium. He was buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery. Dozinghem is not a village in Belgium but one of three groups of casualty clearing stations located near Poperinge prior to the third Battle of Ypres named by the troops: Mendinghem (mending them), Dozinghem (dosing them) and Bandaghem (bandage them). The 4th, 47th and 61st Casualty Clearing Stations were at Dozinghem. The war diary of the 17th Battalion RWF records that one officer was killed and two officers were wounded on 28 August 1917 but, unusually, does not name them.

Known memorials:

• Llandudno Roll of Honour
• Llandudno War Memorial
• Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno
• Ysgol John Bright Roll of Honour
• Ebeneser Chapel, Lloyd Street, Llandudno
• Family memorial, Great Orme’s Head Cemetery