The 1914/15 Star trio to 7/146 Frederick Charles Williams, and the Pacific Star group of five awarded to his son 426055 John Charles Williams.

 

Frederick Charles Williams was born 23rd October 1890 at Burnside, Dunedin. Son of John and Isabella Jane Williams (née Young). At the time of his enlistment in the NZEF in August 1914 he was farming at Pleasant Point. Williams sailed with the Main Body in October 1914. During the voyage, during a boxing match on board the troopship Athenic, he fell and suffered a paralysis of his legs due to alower back injury. He had previously fallen off horse whilst at Trentham and the fall on the ship seems to have triggered the injury. He was admitted to hospital at Abbassia, Egypt and subsequently declared unfit for active service. He did recover the use of his legs, but he returned to New Zealand in March 1915 and discharged the following September. He died at Otorohanga in 1959.

 

In 1918, Frederick Williams married Florence May Healey, and they went on to have eight children, so his back was evidently suitably recovered. John Charles Williams was born in 1921, and at the time of his enlistment in the 2nd NZEF in 1942 he was working as a bricklayer's assistant at Ashburton. The service file for John Williams has not be obtained, so full details of his service are unconfirmed, but it is recorded that he served with the 29th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment in the Pacfic campaign with 3rd Division, NZEF. This unit had the highest casualties of any New Zealand artillery unit in this theatre, serving at the capture of Treasury Islands and various other islands. John Williams died at Otorohanga in 1990.

 

The 1914/15 Star to trio is correctly impressed 7/146 TPR. F.C. WILLIAMS. N.Z.E.F.

The WW2 campaign medals to J C Williams would have been issued unnamed, and they have subsequently been unofficially impressed 426055 J.C. WILLIAMS. This lot also comes with an original photo of JC Williams.

Service file for FC WIlliams held at Archives NZ

Official History of 29th LAA Battery