John's Story.
Birkenhead News 10 July 1915HIGHER BEBINGTON MOURNS.
Two Killed, several Wounded.
In the recent fighting around Hooge two Higher Bebington patriots have been killed, while several others have been wounded. Previous to the charge in which the Liverpool Scottish took part, the Cheshire Field Company, Royal Engineers (Birkenhead), were engaged cutting the barbed wire entanglements when a shell burst and severely wounded Private John Williams, who subsequently died of his injuries, and killed Sapper Walter Smith.
Private John Williams was the eldest son of Councillor and Mrs. John Williams, of 4, Mill Terrace. Young Williams was well-known and highly respected in Higher Bebington, where he had resided all his life. Previous to joining the Royal Engineers he was a member of the Church Lads’ Brigade, and also the church choir, the vicar, the Rev. L. W. Troughton, holding him in high esteem. Private Williams was buried in the neighbourhood of Ypres, in the grounds of an asylum which is being used as a hospital. A request by some of his former comrades for some roots to decorate his grave has already been complied with. Besides the official War Office information of their son’s death, Mr. and Mrs. Williams have also received a letter of sympathy from C.S.M. Thomas Quigley.