Pte 22290 George Williams

• Age: 27
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: 13th Kings
• Died on Wednesday 18th September 1918
• Commemorated at: Hermies Hill Bc
  Panel Ref: I.G.10

George Williams was born in Kirkdale, Liverpool, in the June quarter of 1891, the son of Thomas Williams and Mary (née Simpson). His father was from Dublin, and his mother was born in Liverpool. 

In 1881 his mother, aged 20, is a domestic servant to Thomas Williams, 48, a greengrocer, and his wife at 138 Westminster Road, with daughter Elizabeth, 3, and two stepchildren, Hannah Edge 13, and John Edge, 11.

After he was widowed, Thomas Williams married Mary Simpson in 1883, and they had nine children, three of whom died young, all born in Kirkdale. George had older siblings Thomas and Mary, and younger siblings William, Kathleen, and Norman.

In 1891, not long before George’s birth, the family is at 143 Westminster Road with his half-sister Elizabeth, 13, Thomas, 6, Mary 4, and stepbrother John D. Edge, 21.

By 1901 they have moved to 109 Westminster Road and have seven children, including half sister Bessie.  His father is a greengrocer working at home, and Thomas, 16, assists in the business. George is 9.

In 1911 they are still at 109 Westminster Road.  His father is 78, now retired, his mother is 50.   Elizabeth, 32, has no occupation, Thomas, 26, is a storekeeper for a potato merchant, Mary, 24, is a café cashier.  George is 19, a fruit porter in a wholesale market, William, 18, is a traveller for a provision dealer, Kathleen, 15, is an apprentice draper, and Norman, 12, is at school.

His father died in 1913, at the age of 80 and was buried as a non-conformist in Anfield Cemetery. 

His enlistment papers give his occupation as a Fruit Salesman. 

He married Florence Smith on the 01^st October, 1915 and resided at 134 Walton Village, they had a son George born 8^th March, 1919. 

He enlisted in Liverpool on the 07^th November, 1914 aged 22 years and 6 months joining the 20^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 22290. However, another page in his record gives his age on enlistment as 23 years and six months, which agrees with his birth record and census ages. He is described as being 5’ 5” tall, weighing 130 lbs, with a sallow complexion, brown eyes and black hair, and his occupation as a Fruit Salesman. He gives his religion as C of E, and as next of kin his mother Mary at 117 Venmore Street (behind Anfield Stadium).

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

His service papers show that he was docked three days pay for absence for the period 2^nd -4^th October, 1915 which is understandable given that he was still effectively on his honeymoon having married just days earlier.

He sailed to France with his Battalion on the 07^th November, 1915, and remained in France till 8^th July, 1916. He was hospitalised for a period from 18th March - 01st April 1916 before rejoining his Battalion. He was wounded by a gun shot wound to his right leg on 01st July 1916 during the attack at Montauban and he returned home for treatment arriving via Rouen on the 09th July 1916. It must have been a serious injury because he remained in the UK till 25^th July 1917.

Whilst in the UK he was posted to the 3rd Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment on 23rd Ocotber 1916. Whilst stationed at Cosheston, in Pembrokeshire, he was disciplined on three occasions (November 1916, April and June 1917) for overstaying leave or sick furlough, each time being confined to barracks for seven days and forfeiting pay.

He returned to France on the 26^th July 1917 and stayed there till 11^th May, 1918. During this time he had been posted to the 11th Battalion KLR on arrival in France on 26th July 1917 then posted to the 2/6th Battalion from 13th August 1917 until he returned home from 12^th May-20^th August, 1918 (Depot). Whilst stationed at Ballincollig, near Cork, on 08th July 1918, he was confined to barracks for four days and forfeited two days’ pay for overstaying leave.

He returned to France on the 21^st August, 1918 was posted to the 12th Battalion KLR from 22nd August 1918 before joining the 13th Battalion KLR on 25th August 1918.

He was killed in action on the 18^th September 1918, aged 27, during the Hundred Day Offensive which ended the war.

The Battalion War Diary records that in early September they moved to the Ervillers/Hannescamps area north of Bapaume for training and practice (including ‘Co-operation with tanks’) for an attack on the German Defensive System west of Ribecourt.  On the 15th the Battalion moved up to Brigade Reserve.  At about 3:30 p.m. they were subjected to intense bombardment, extending to well away on both flanks but not hitting the front line. The War Diary makes no mention of casualties but George was one of 12 men killed that day.

George now rests at Hermies Hill British Cemetery, France. 

Hermies was seized on the morning of the 9th April 1917, by a surprise attack of the 2nd and 3rd Australian Infantry Battalions. It was held against the advancing Germans on the 22nd March 1918, by the 17th Division, but evacuated on the following day; and it was retaken in September 1918. It was later "adopted", with Havrincourt, by the County Borough of Huddersfield. The cemetery was begun in November 1917, and carried on by fighting units until March 1918, and further graves were added in the following September. These original burials comprise nearly the whole of Plot I; the remaining three Plots were added after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from a wide area round Hermies.

There are now over 1,000, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, nearly 300 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 28 soldiers from the United Kingdom and 3 from Australia, known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 6 soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in two German Cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery covers an area of 3,629 square metres and is enclosed by a brick wall.

His personal effects of photographs and field postcards were returned  to his wife. Florence was about three months pregnant with their child when George was killed. We don't know whether George knew he was going to be a father. 

Their son, named George after his deceased father, was born on 08th March 1919.

Florence was awarded a pension of 13/9d a week. After the birth of their son George the pension was increased to £1-0s-5d.

George earned his three medals, which Florence signed for.

In June 1919 Florence provided information on George’s living relatives:  She and baby George were living at 134 Walton Village.  His mother was living at 117 Venmore Street with his brothers Thomas, 35, William, 25, and Norman, 21, and sisters Mary, 31, and Kathleen, 23.

Florence remarried in 1926 and had a daughter.  

In 1939 Florence, now 42, is living at 134 King’s Drive, Woolton, with her husband and daughter and son George, 20, who works for the Co-op.

Florence died in 1972 aged 75.  His son George appears to have died in 1999.

George is commemorated in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 33 Right  

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