WILLIAMS, Frank Harold

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Clinton, Ontario
Original Unit
161st Huron Battalion
Regimental Number
654756
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
25 years 3 months
Cemetery
Vimy Memorial - Pas de Calais - France
Cenotaph
Blyth Memorial Hall
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        4th Canadian Infantry Division
                                             10th Infantry Brigade
                                             47th Battalion - West Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654756
RESIDENCE:                    Londesborough – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            April 19, 1893
                                             Aston – Middlesex - England
DATE OF DEATH:           August 10, 1918                   25 years     3 months
MEMORIAL:                    Vimy Memorial – Vimy –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
PARENTS:                         Mr. Albert & Lily Trewin  - Londesborough
Occupation:                        Student                                 Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         Clinton – April 1, 1916 – 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 23 years

On February 2, 1918 he was struck off strength of the 161st Huron Battalion and taken on strength with the 47th Western Ontario Regiment. He then went to the Reserve Pool and then joined his unit in the field on March 4, 1918.
At 04:00 hours as the Battalion moved to the advance point they numbered 782 men of all ranks and the advance would be “A & C” Companies as right and left assault with “B & D” Companies being right and left support. They were positioned behind the 44th Battalion.
They advanced at 10:15 hours and immediately came under heavy enemy fire at the Avenue des Marmites and as they advanced toward an old heavily wired trench system they encountered heavy enemy machine gun fire and then about 1000 yards west of Foquescourt the advance was halted because of the heavy machine gun fire. Two tanks came to assist and “A” Company plus the 44th Battalion rushed the village to an open area in the back of the town and it was here they formed a defensive line. During the rush into town “C” Company had some very severe fighting against enemy machine guns and posts.
At this time the 47th Battalion leap frogged the 44th Battalion and advanced until they had to deal with enemy enfilade fire as the Battalion on the right was some distance away and the light was fading and the enemy was hanging on stubbornly. They consolidated Menalars Trench and held it for the night.
During this day 14 men of the battalion were killed in action and 86 were wounded.