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Auction: 22101 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 344

Three: 2nd Lieutenant T. D. Williams, 248 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, mortally wounded at the Battle of Cambrai, 5 April 1918

British War Medal 1914-20 (2. Lieut. T. D. Williams); Victory Medal 1914-1919, erased; Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (Timothy Davies Williams), good very fine (3)

'He had done magnificent work at the front and will be sorely missed by the officers of his battery, who often found his advice invaluable and who regarded him with peculiar affection and respect. His splendid courage and coolness in danger were an inspiration alike to officers and men'

'Mr Williams' death is a loss, not only to Barry but to Wales. For nearly seven years he was history master in the County School at Barry and while there he did a work which cannot be too highly praised.

As a teacher of history he was unsurpassed in the County Schools of Wales, and his pupils owe him a debt of gratitude which they can never express or repay.'

Timothy Davies Williams was born on 23 July 1883 at Hawden Le West, the son of Reverend Charles and Harriet Williams. Educated at Llandeilo County School he became a pupil-teacher himself in 1901 before travelling to University College, Aberystwyth in 1906 to study history. After teaching a Bridgewater for two years he went off to become history Master at Barry Grammar School in 1909.

Serving prior to the Great War with the Territorial Army, namely the 5th (Volunteer) Battalion, South Wales Borderers he enlisted with the Regular Army on 18 April 1916. Posted to 2nd Field Company, Glamorgan Royal Engineers with the rank of Sapper he applied for a commission which was granted on 3 August 1917 when he was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant with 248 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Joining his unit in the field on 20 October 1917 he was wounded during the battle of Cambrai and admitted to No.37 Field Ambulance on 5 April 1918 and died of his wounds on 8 April. He is buried in the Varennes (British Cemetery) Albert. A tribute by his Battery Commander written to his wife states:

'It was dear old Williams to whom I went many a time for advice in many f the difficult situations we found ourselves, and on one occasion it was entirely through acting on his advice, and without orders from my Commanding Officer, that I got the battery away before our retreat was cut off. Also, on the morning of 21 March, when we came in for a full share of the battle, I called for volunteers to man the guns. Your husband and another officer immediately went out and did most useful work under intense shellfire, and by their coolness and devotion to duty set a splendid example to their men. I can only repeat from the fullness of my heart, that the battery has lost one of the very best officers it has ever had, and that I lost one of the very best friends and a brother officer. We all deemed it an honour to know your husband. He always made everything brighter for those with whom he worked and he could always be relied upon to do more than his share'

sold together with two cap badges, newspaper cuttings and a Royal Life Saving Society bronze medal (D. A. Williams Sept. 1940) in its case of issue as well as copied research including newspaper extracts, typed research and service records along with census information, M.I.C. and an extract from the Barry Roll of Honour.

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Sold for
£260

Starting price
£80