Pte 50683 William Williams

• Age: 35
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Monday 31st December 1917
• Commemorated at: Bailleul Cc Ext
  Panel Ref: III.E.19

William was born in Liverpool in 1882, the son of James Williams and Henrietta Gibson who were married on 07/5/1877 at St Peter’s, Liverpool.

1901 Census - Robson Street Everton - Parents James and Henrietta with children Esther, William, James,Lily, John, Albert, Henrietta and Marian - James was a Builder and his son William was a Bricklayer. 

William married Ellen Baker 1/8/1910 at St Benedicts Walton. William and his father James were both listed as Bricklayers.

1911 Census - 224 Breckfield Road North, Liverpool - William and his wife Ellen with Jane Stone a widowed boarder.

He enlisted in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 50683. William died of wounds on 31/12/1917 aged 35. His widow, Ellen Williams was living at 29 Cowl Street, Everton. 

William now rests at Bailleul CC Extension at III.E.19 where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"AT REST".

Bailleul was occupied on 14 October 1914 by the 19th Brigade and the 4th Division. It became an important railhead, air depot and hospital centre, with the 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 11th, 53rd, 1st Canadian and 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Stations quartered in it for considerable periods. It was a Corps headquarters until July 1917, when it was severely bombed and shelled, and after the Battle of Bailleul (13-15 April 1918), it fell into German hands and was not retaken until 30 August 1918.

The earliest Commonwealth burials at Bailleul were made at the east end of the communal cemetery and in April 1915, when the space available had been filled, the extension was opened on the east side of the cemetery. The extension was used until April 1918, and again in September, and after the Armistice graves were brought in from the neighbouring battlefields.

BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION contains 4,403 Commonwealth burials of the First World War; 11 of the graves made in April 1918 were destroyed by shell fire and are represented by special memorials. There are also 17 British burials of the Second World War (all 1940) and 154 German burials from both wars (10 of which are Second World War).

During the Second World War the cemetery suffered major bomb damage that necessitated the replacement of nearly 200 headstones after the war.

Both the Commonwealth plot in the communal cemetery and the extension were designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

William is also commemorated at Liverpool Town Hall.

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