Reginald Williams

Memorial: Thornbury - St Mary's Church

Regiment: London Regiment

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Private G/29112

Parents: Walter George and Sarah Ann Williams

Marital status: Single

Home address: Crossways, Thornbury, Bristol

Date of birth: 1899

Place of birth: Alveston, Bristol

Date of death: 01/09/1918

Buried/Commemorated at: Vis-En-Artois Memorial (Panel 7.)

Age: 19

Further information:

Bronze Tablet and Wooden Memorial Board

Reginald Williams was born in Alveston, his birth being registered in the December quarter of 1899. He was baptised on 17th September at St Helen’s Church, the only son of labourer Walter Williams and his wife Sarah Ann. He had a twin sister called Dorothy and three other sisters. By the time of the 1911 census Reginald’s father had become a farmer and the family was living at Rudgeway. It is thought that they moved to Crossways before or during the war

Reginald enlisted in Bristol and seems to have joined the Hampshire Regiment as Private 43099. At some point he was transferred to the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). However, at the time of his death the records note he was attached to 1st/20th London Regiment, 141st Brigade in 47th (2nd London) Division

In March 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive, rapidly advancing against the Allies. 47th Division, on Welsh Ridge near Cambrai, came under heavy bombardment and were obliged to retire, fighting rearguard actions over six days. Having sustained many casualties, the remnants of 1st/19th and 1st/20th Londons were formed into one Battalion. After coming under enemy attack again in April, 47th Division had three months regrouping and then holding a quiet sector of the line

On 31st August 1918 the Second Battle of Bapaume commenced. This action was a turning point of the war on the Western Front and the beginning of what was later known as the Allies' Hundred Days Offensive. 1st/20th Londons were in the area near Bouchavesnes and Rancourt. On 31st August 141st Brigade moved forward successfully at 5.30 a.m. under a creeping barrage, and gained all the ground required, together with 184 prisoners. Later that morning there was a strong enemy counter attack which was repulsed after hand to hand fighting. Some units in the Division came under artillery barrage and machine gun fire

On 1st September the advance continued with the objective of taking the western edge of St. Pierre Vaast Wood. The 141st Brigade on the right, with the 140th on the left, successfully took this line with many prisoners and the 140th recaptured Rancourt from the enemy

Reginald was Killed in Action and is remembered on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, which bears the names of over 9,000 men from the forces of Great Britain, Ireland and South Africa who fell in the period from 8th August to 11th November 1918 in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

Thornbury Roots Website. Thornbury and District Museum Research Group. Forces War Records and the CWGC