WILLIAMS Frederick John

1. John Frederick Williams was born at Blackstone near Bewdley, Worcestershire in 1896, the son of John and Hannah Williams. He was christened at Wribbenhall Church on 14th May 1896. John and Hannah gave all their children two names but chose to refer to all of them by their second name hence John junior was known as Frederick. The family moved around owing to John’s occupation as a labourer and in 1900 they settled in Abberley. Frederick attended the village school from 27th April 1904 until 1st October 1910. He went to live with Albert Austin and his wife and their two small children at School House in Abberley and commenced work as a farm labourer until his enlistment in the Worcestershire Regiment.

2. The following report appears in the Kidderminster Shuttle, 29th July 1916:
Private Frederick John Williams, 27114, 9th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. Joined the Worceshire Regiment in January last. Son of Mrs J. Williams of The Hill, Abberley. Died of disease shortly after landing in Mesopotamia.

3. A photograph of Private F. Williams, died in Mesopotamia, which may be of this casualty, can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 5th August 1916, available at Worcestershire Archives.