L/Cpl 50692 Sidney Bryant Rumsey Williams

• Age: 20
• From: Potters Bar, Middlesex
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 30th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Sidney Bryant Rumsey Williams was born in the June quarter of 1898 in Potters Bar, Barnet the son of William Williams and his wife Ellen Georgina (nee Cooper). They  married in December 1896 and this was William's second marriage as first son William was aged 21 on the 1901 census.

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at Southgate Road, Potters Bar, Barnet.

Sidney is 3 years of age and is living with his parents and 5 siblings. His father William was born in Chelmsford in 1852 and is described as a building worker, whilst his mother, Ellen, was born in Southgate, Middlesex in 1864. His siblings are listed as; William, aged 21 and a carpenter, Frank aged 16 and a bricklayer,  May aged 9, Cecil aged 8 and Nellie aged 6.

By 1911 the family are still at Southgate Road, Sidney is now 13 and a student. Both parents are resident at the property and 3 siblings are also present; May 19, Cecil 18  a clerk in an engineer's office and Nellie 16 a worker in photography.  

Sidney enlisted in Whitehall, London and was formerly 178490, Royal Field Artillery. He was one of 120 men who were transferred to the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as reinforcements from the Training Reserve on 24th July 1917. He arrived in France on 06th July 1917 and his service number was then TR3/5260. He was wounded in action on 18th October 1917 when he received gun shot wounds to his face and back. He was initially admitted to 96 Field Ambulance but was transferred to No.2 Casualty Clearing Station on 18th October 1917. He was subsequently transferred to 56 General Hospital the next day 19th October. He was admittted to 6 Convalescent Depot on 24th October before transferring to 14 Convalescent Depot two days later. 

He was reported wounded in the Liverpool Daily Post on 20th November 1917.

He rejoined the 17th Battalion on 03rd January 1918 and was granted leave from 16th - 30th March 1918. Upon his return the German Spring Offensive had commenced and he was serving as Lance-Corporal No 50692 when he was killed in action on the 30^th April 1918 aged 20 during the German Spring Offensive. 

The Battalion diary gives an indictation of the events of the day:

VOORMEZEELE DEFENCES

30^th April 1918

The Battalion still holding G.H.Q.1 line. At various times during the day small parties of the enemy crept forward with Machine Guns and were engaged by Lewis Guns and rifle fire. Also concentrations of enemy were dispersed by artillery shoots directed from Battn H.Q.

Sidney has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

He is also commemorated on the Potters Bar War memorial situated at St John's Churchyard in High Street, Potters Bar. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Ellen Georgina.

Grateful thanks are extended to Alan Kenny for assistance with Sidney's biography.  

We currently have no further information on Sydney Bryant Rumsey Williams, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.