US CITIZEN WW1 DIED WOUNDS PASSCHENDAELE MEDALS & PLAQUE 62848 JOHN WILLIAMS

Offered is a 1914 – 15 Star, impressed named 62848 DVR:  J. WILLIAMS. R.E.; British War and Victory Medals (1914 – 18) impressed named 62848 DVR. J. WILLIAMS. R.E.; Memorial Plaque named JOHN WILLIAMS.  Comes with copies of Commonwealth War Graves certificate, medal rolls, pension card, newspaper article and wedding register extract.

John Williams was born 1882 in Youngtown, Ohio, USA. On 8/4/1912 he married Lizzy Alice Simpkins in Egham. His occupation was listed as ‘miner’.

He enlisted in Tonypandy, Wales and was given the service number 62848. Being a miner, he joined the Royal Engineers and was posted to the 151^st Field Engineers, this was possibly in late 1914 or early 1915.

The 151^st was posted to the 38^th (Welsh) Division April 1915.  The 38^th Division becoming part of K4. It was formed of many volunteer units that had already been raised by public subscription and private projects. The Division moved to France between 21 November and 6 December 1915.

John landed in France on 4/12/1915.

He died of wounds on 3/8/1917 and is buried at Dozinghem military cemetery (Near Ypres). In July 1917, in readiness for the forthcoming offensive, groups of casualty clearing stations were placed at three positions Mendinghem, Dozinghem and Bandaghem. The 4th, 47th and 61st Casualty Clearing Stations were posted at Dozinghem and the military cemetery was used by them until early in 1918.

It is believed that he was wounded during the attack of the Division during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, 31 July 1917, evacuated to the Casualty Clearing Station where he died 3 days later. The division was withdrawn from the line on 6 August.

John married in 1912 and his son was born 1/9/1914.

The 1901 Suffolk census records a Joseph John Williams born in 1881 in Cleveland Ohio; with his father being Josiah Williams. Both occupations being painters. The marriage certificate dated 8/4/1912 records John Williams married Lizzy Alice Simpkins (this matches the pension card) and his father being a John Williams (Engine driver) possibly the same people who have ‘anglicized’ their names.