SAPPER EDWIN DANIEL WILLIAMS
6650 – Tunnelling Company Details
Edwin Daniel Williams was born in Trehorchy, Wales about June, 1888 with his birth registered as Edwin Edmond at Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales and was the son of Samuel and Annie (nee Thomas) Edmonds. A short time later the Edmonds family consisting of Samuel (22), Annie (20), David (2) and Edwin (inf) left Gloucester for London, England and embarked as remittance passengers on the R.M.S. Dacca for Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and arrived on November 12, 1888 in Townsville, Qld. News of their voyage and disembarkation was published in:
In 1913 the family consisting of Annie, with Samuel, David and Edwin working as miners were registered in Electoral Rolls residing at Nagle Street, Charters Towers, Qld.
Edwin married Bella Jane Hunter on July 27, 1912 but the following year she proceeded with a charge of wife desertion which was reported in:
Resuming the case a week later the following was also reported in:
Their son Hector Hunter Edmonds was born on March 7, 1913.
Two years later at the Winton Recruiting Office on September 26, 1916 the twenty-eight year old labourer applied to enlist for active service abroad under the alias of Edwin Daniel Williams and passed the medical examination. Person particulars taken describe him with a height of 176cms (5ft 9ins), weight 68kgs (150lbs) and a chest expansion of 92-97cms (36-38ins). One eye only had fair vision. Three days later he was re-examined by the Charters Towers Recruiting Office’s Doctor who concurred with the Application’s Medical Report.
His Attestation Form adds further information of a fair complexion, grey eyes and black hair. Nominated religion was Baptist. His mother Mrs Annie Edmonds, of Friezland (later renamed Kuridala), G.N.R. (Great Northern Railway), Qld was named as next-of-kin and allotted her two fifths of his pay. Edwin was sworn in on October 2, 1916 at the Charters Towers Town Hall. The announcement and farewell of the volunteers was reported in The Northern Miner on Monday and Tuesday October 2 and 3, 1916.
Basic Training was received at the 11th Depot Battalion, Enoggera, Brisbane from October 6 until October 28, 1916. A transfer to the Miners’ Depot (1st M.D.) followed where he was declared dentally fit and participated in further instruction finishing on December 6, 1916. Home Leave was also taken before progressing to the Miners’ Training Camp at Seymour, Vic. remaining until January 11, 1917.
In preparation for departure overseas a Will was written and verified. Assigned the rank of Sapper and the Regimental number of 6650 was placed with the February, 1917 Reinforcements to the Tunnelling Companies.
The 168 Reinforcements embarked at 3 p.m. on the transport RMS Omrah on January 17, 1917 from Melbourne, Vic. The ship docked at Adelaide, S.A. two days later and at Fremantle, W.A. on January 24, 1917. The Omrah departed at 5 p.m. on February 2, 1917 but Sapper Williams failed to re-embark and was classed as Absent without Leave.
During his time of A.W.L. in 1917 he married Lillian B. Huxley in the Swan district of Perth, W.A. Eventually was caught and returned to Blackboy Hill Camp and placed with the 25th Reinforcements to the 16 Battalion, re-embarking from Fremantle, W.A. on June 29, 1917 on the HMAT A30 Borda. Next-of-kin changed to Mrs Lilly Williams, Newcastle Road, Midland Junction, W.A. with two fifths of his pay now allotted to his wife. The ship docked at Plymouth, England on August 25, 1917. Private Williams went to collect his kit bag from the ship’s hold but it was missing and marched in to the 4 Training Battalion at Codford, Eng. the following day.
A Court of Inquiry was held at No 2 Camp, Codford about the missing kit bag on August 29, 1917 before Major C.R. Cox. The first witness sworn in was Private E.D. Williams who stated:
An account in detail of what was in his kit was given by Pte Williams.
The second witness Sergeant Richard Dugdale gave evidence:
Finding:
The Court having heard and considered the evidence, are of the opinion:-
1. That the kit belonging to No 6650 Pte E.D. Williams was placed in the hold of the troopship A 30 by himself on the day of embarkation.
2. That the said Kit was stolen by some person or persons unknown on board the troopship A30.
3. That Pte Williams, E.D. is in no way to blame for the loss of the said kit, and the court recommended that the articles lost be re-issued to the said Pte Williams and be charged to public expense.
H.C. Parker Capt, President.
W.W. Worner Lt Member F. Aberles, 2/Lt Member
Major Cox concurred with the finding of the Court.
Taken sick to Group Hospital suffering from Tonsillitis on September 11, 1917 and returned to the Training Battalion a week later.
On October 23, 1917 went Absent without Leave but returned on November 3, 1917 and sent to Detention at the 13 Training Battalion on November 11, 1917.
About November 20, 1917 Pte Williams again went A.W.L. from the 13 Training Battalion A.I.F. Depot and declared by a Court of Inquiry an Illegal Absentee on December 31, 1917.
After the war a search by the District Finance Officer 5 Military District (W.A.) finalising their records asked Base Records on October 12, 1919 for any details. Replied no information had been received since he was reported as illegally absent from November 20, 1917.
Commonwealth Military Forces of 5th Military District Pay and Accounts Branch wrote to Base Records on October 28, 1919 saying that their records show Pte Williams to be illegal absentee as from February 8, 1918, the date his allotment to his wife Mrs Lilly Williams of Newcastle Road, Midland Junction was cancelled. Letter also stated information from the Department of Pensions in the State advises the Department of Repatriation was in receipt of information that the soldier died as a result of a mine accident in Wales after his desertion from the Australian Imperial Forces.
A.I.F. Headquarters London on March 31, 1920 issued a Statement of Forfeiture to any claims of the Government of Australia for Pte Williams’ service. Authorisation of Forfeiture of Pay from November 11, 1917 to April 1, 1920 was declared and dated April 1, 1920.
Department of Repatriation, Melbourne, Vic requested in a memorandum for a Statement of Service for the deceased soldier. The Statement dated July 10, 1920 was forwarded to the Melbourne office.
Department of Repatriation, W.A. Branch wrote on July 12, 1920 regarding the widow of the late soldier and sent a copy of a telegram from Headquarters Melbourne. It reads:
The case was pending and a record of the soldier’s military service was required. Board proceedings on September 4, 1922 decided automatic forfeiture of any medals due to desertion. The form was marked - discharged in England and dated with his desertion as November 20, 1917.
Base Records wrote on April 20, 1923 to his wife Mrs L.B. Williams, 96 King Street, East Fremantle, W.A. requesting if she knew of her husband’s present address so as they could finalise his records.
Three days later on April 23, 1923 Base Records wrote to his mother at Friezland, via Cloncurry, Qld inquiring if she knew of the present address of her son.
On May 2, 1923 the Department of Repatriation advised Base Records that according to records held by their office Williams while in Detention Camp in England, deserted the Army. He then obtained employment in the Coal Mines in Wales, where he met with an accident which caused his death. It gave the last known address of his widow, in August 1920, whose name was Mrs L.B. Williams at 3 William Street, Fremantle.
Discharged from the A.I.F April 1, 1920 is recorded on his Statement of Service Sheet. A Statement of Service was sent to the Department of Repatriation once more on March 17, 1941.
His father Samuel died in 1935 and Annie in 1946. His son Hector Hunter Edmonds passed away in Mt Isa on July 21, 1962 aged 49 years.
© Donna Baldey 2009 / 2013
www.tunnellers.net
Further information from J. Bramich, granddaughter of Bella Jane Reed (nee Hunter formerly Edmonds) states:
Bella told her grandchildren that her husband died in the First World War and stated she was a widow when she married in November, 1920 to Charles Reed. She died in Mt Isa in 1955.
There is also evidence to suggest that his second wife Lily also suffered at the hands of Edwin as I have found that she wrote to the Department of Repatriation asking for financial assistance for herself and one child of above soldier. The last letter Lillian Williams received from her husband was dated 4/1/1918 and at that time he was in Pentre, Wales. Later she was informed that he had employment in the coal mines in Wales where he met with an accident that caused his death.