WILLIAMS, William Lewis

WILLIAMS, William Lewis – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWII
SERVICE NO : QX16911
RANK : Private
UNIT : 2/15th Reinforcement Infantry Battalion
ENLISTMENT DATE : 25/03/1941
AGE : 26
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Toowoomba, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Warwick, Queensland
RELIGION : Methodist
OCCUPATION : Tractor Driver
DATE OF DEATH : 1/01/1942
PLACE OF BURIAL : Palestine

MEMORIALS : Freestone WWII Honour Board, 2023 Freestone WWII Honour Board,Warwick State High School Roll of Honour 1939-1945, Warwick The Fallen 1939-1945, Warwick War Memorial

View this person’s Service File : William Lewis WILLIAMS

NOTES : William Lewis Williams was born in Warwick on December 12, 1915, and was the son of Freestone farmers George Evor and Gertrude Williams [nee Palmer]. From an early age he was always known as Lewis.

Besides owning the farm at Freestone, Lewis father George Williams, also owned GE Williams and Co., a machinery business in Palmerin Street Warwick.

Lewis attended the Freestone State School until he attained a Scholarship to enrol at the Warwick State High School to study a Commercial Course. He was a keen reader and acquired a fine personal library. Prior to his enlistment at the age of 26, William was working as a tractor driver on his father’s farm.

Before the war he served part time in the 25th Battalion. Lewis enlisted in the AIF at Toowoomba and after six months training, he left Australia aboard HMT 11 with the 8th Batch of reinforcements for the 2/15th Battalion.

Lewis never got to see action with his unit, because only a short period after he arrived in Egypt he was diagnosed as suffering from anaemia. This diagnosis was later changed to leukaemia, and Lewis died of this illness on January 3, 1942.

Read about Southern Downs Military History here.