William (Will) Williams was born on the 6th October 1891 at Waen Isa, Flint Mountain and baptised at St Mary’s Parish Church on the 13thNovember 1891. He was fifth of nine children to Edwin Williams and Mary (Jones).
Edwin married widow Mary at St Paul’s Parish Church, Rhosesmor on 11th November 1884. They lived in Waen Isa, Flint Mountain and the 1911 census stated that Edwin was a labourer at a golf links and Will a farm labourer.
Will enlisted in the Army at Flint in October, 1914 and his service record states he was 23 years 1 month and 5ft 5ins, and was fit for overseas service. After training he was posted to Gallipoli on the 8th August, 1915. In December that year he was wounded and sent back to England to recuperate on 3rd January, 1916. After recovering he was sent to Egypt where he re-joined his battalion on the 31st May. He was wounded again at the Battle of Gaza, Palestine on the 26th March, 1917.This time it was a gunshot wound in the left forearm and was removed to a hospital at Alexandria. On the 5th May he was hospitalised again, this time with dysentery, and remained there until the 7th September before re-joining his regiment. On the 16th June, 1918 he was wounded in action in the right buttock and died four days later at No. 74 casualty Clearing Station, Palestine, and his death was reported in a local newspaper.
DEATH OF A LOCAL SOLDIER
(County Herald 12th July 1918)
It is with regret that we record the death of Private William Williams, son of Mr and Mrs Edwin Williams, of Waen Isa, Flint Mountain, and Northop. The official intimation was to the effect that he had died of wounds received in action on June 20th. Deceased was 26 years of age, and prior to joining the Army, in October 1914, he was employed at a local works, where he made a host of friends by his kindly disposition and unimpeachable character; and there is no doubt that those with whom he had worked will receive the sad news with feelings of regret, and sympathy for the parents in their bereavement.
He was buried in Jerusalem War Cemetery (Plot P, Grave 29). He is remembered on the Flint Town and Buckley war memorials and is commemorated on the North Wales Heroes’ Memorial Arch, Bangor. In the Northop Road Cemetery in Grave 1, Line 13, North Side, is buried three of Will’s siblings and one half-sister, who all died young, and Will is remembered on the headstone.
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the History of the Borough of Flint (1940) by A R Maddock the following was written about Will:
St Thomas’s Church, Flint Mountain – “Private Williams made a host of friends by his kindly disposition and unimpeachable character and was, when at home, a regular worshipper at St Thomas’s Church, Flint Mountain. The Bible was presented to St Thomas’s by his brother and sister-in-law, Mr and Mrs Robert Williams, Mount View, Flint Mountain, in his memory.”
Mary died on the 4th April, 1927, aged 70, and was buried in St Peter’s Churchyard, Northop. According to her obituary “she was a native of Flint Mountain and was well known and highly respected by everybody. She was of a most kind and generous disposition.”
Edwin died after a long illness on the 16th December 1927, aged 74, at the Cottage Hospital, Holywell. His obituary stated, “he was of a most generous and genial disposition and was highly respected in the neighbourhood.” He is buried with his wife and her first husband Robert Jones.
William Williams is also named on the Buckley Memorial