William Williams EM

b. 14/11/1891 Llanddulas, Denbighshire, Wales. d. 20/02/1960 Llysfaen, Wales.

DATE OF EM ACTION: 21/05/1938 Llysfaen Quarry, Caernarvonshire.

William Williams EM

William Williams was born on 14th November 1891 in Llanddulas, Denbighshire, Wales, and in his childhood, he lived at  7 Pentregwyddel Terrace. For a short time, it is believed the family moved to the nearby village of Betwys Yn Rhos. His parents were Samuel and Mary Williams, and he had two brothers, Richard and Robert John.

Williams and Benjamin Littler Jones (who later exchanged his Edward Medal for a George Cross) were awarded a Silver Medal by the Institute of Quarrying. The Carnegie Trust also awarded both men certificates and a £20 cash payment. William Williams used his to purchase a house, which he named aptly “Carnegie”
William Williams lived, worked and passed in the small village of LLysfaen, where he is buried with his wife Pamela Louise nee Howells, a Staffordshire girl from the village of Essington, that he married in the summer of 1919.
Williams’ medals are now displayed at the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum, Caernarfon, Wales.

 

EM CITATION:

Blasting was about to take place at the Llysfaen Quarry, Caernarvonshire, on the morning of the 21st May 1938. All the men with the exception of three, Williams, Jones and Roberts, whose duty it was to light the fuses, had been withdrawn from the danger zone. Williams had lighted one fuse, Jones two, and Roberts three when Roberts trod on a stone which tipped up and trapped his foot so that he could not move. The shots were timed to go off in 80 seconds, and Roberts was in imminent danger of being killed. Williams and Jones tried to release Roberts, and failing to do so, Williams shouted to the others to pull out the fuses and promptly pulled out four himself. Jones pulled out one and Roberts the other. In doing so they ran considerable risk; had any one of the detonators exploded, it would certainly have had serious or even fatal results. The proptitude and courage of Williams and Jones undoubtedly saved the life of Roberts at grave risk to their own safety.

 

BURIAL LOCATION: ST CYNFRAN CHURCHYARD, LLYSFAEN, CAERNARVONSHIRE, WALES.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS MUSEUM, CAERNAFON, WALES.

Acknowledgement:

Bill Rosedale – Research for his biography and several of the images connected to William Williams EM.