Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Second Lieutenant H. E. Williams, 1st Battalion (Royal Fusiliers), London Regiment

1914-15 Star (2. Lieut., 1/Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut.); together with memorial plaque (Harold Edward Williams) and illuminated memorial scroll, the medals and plaque contained in an attractive contemporary glazed frame, extremely fine (4) £400-450

Harold Edward Williams was killed in action in France and Flanders on 7 October 1916 whilst serving with the 1st Battalion, London Regiment. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

The following is extracted from The Times, 6 January 1917: ‘Second Lieutenant Harold Edward Williams, London Regiment, was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Edwin Williams of Latimers, Beaconsfield, Bucks. In 1902 he joined the Standard Bank of South Africa, and at the outbreak of war he was employed in the Salisbury branch of that bank. He was a member of the committee of the Salisbury Hunt Club, an athlete of considerable achievement, and a member of the Institute of Bankers, London. Early in 1915 he gave up everything in Rhodesia in order to take part in the fighting against Germany. On June 26 last he was seriously wounded at the moment when he had successfully carried through a bombing operation. After his recovery and return to the front he was commended by his colonel for doing extremely well on October 1 under exceptionally trying circumstances when he assisted in the capture of a German trench and held it against counter-attacks for 24 hours without food or water and with the aid of only six unwounded men. Six days afterwards, when his company was sent forward to support an attack he was reported missing, and on January 3 1917, it was established that he was killed on October 7.’