WILLIAM HENRY WILLIAMS
1848 to 1899
The following is a
transcription of an article from the Middlesex Chronicle. January 1899: -
MIDDLESEX CHRONICLE GARRISON NEWS
The
Yeoman of the Guard have lost one of their most respected comrades in the person of Yeoman W.H.Williams who died last week
at Hounslow.
Formerly
Quartermaster-Sergeant of the 17th Lancers, Mr. Williams had seen
much service and wore the medal for S. Africa with clasp and the good conduct
and Jubilee medals. His unfailing
courtesy made him a great favourite with all classes with whom he was
brought in contact and he was in every way a splendid specimen of an English
veteran. He was buried on
Saturday with military honours at Heeton churchyard.
Death of a Yeoman of the Guard.
To
the deep grief of all who knew him, Mr. William Henry Williams of No. 6 The
Lawn, Bath Road, died on the 17th inst. after a long and painful
illness at the comparatively early age of 51 years. The deceased who at the time of his death was in the honourable
position as a Yeoman of the Guard in Her Majesty’s Body Guard, formerly served in the l7th, DCO Lancers in which
Corp. he gained much distinction both on account of his high personal qualities
and also by reason of the conscientious manner in which he discharged the
responsible duties with which he was entrusted. He joined the ‘Death or Glory’ Boys when the regiment was
stationed at Aldershot in 1866 and he served in the distinguished corps for no
less a period than 25 years, 319 days, and eleven of these years he
spent in foreign service.
He
took part in the South African campaign of 1879 and was present at the fall of
Ulundi, the stronghold of the Zulus and for this he received the war medal and
clasp. That he was a man of striking
mental attainments is shown by the fact that after only five months service,
his officers recognised his usefulness by making him Pay-Sergeant of the
regiment and in 1877 he was promoted to the still more important rank of
Quartermaster-Sergeant, which position he held until his discharge on the 22
July 1892. He left the famous 17th
not only with an exemplary record but also with that best of all military
decoration the medal for long service and meritorious conduct. He then had the further honour of being
incorporated in the ‘Royal Bodyguard Of the Yeoman of the Guard’ and with his colleagues in that
distinguished corps, received in 1897 the
Diamond Jubilee Medal from the hands of Her Majesty the Queen. After leaving the Lancers Mr. Williams settled
at Hounslow and became one of the foremost among the organisers of the annual
dinner in Celebration of the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in which
memorable engagement the 17th bore so noble a part.
During
the period that he resided amongst us, the late Mr. Williams had endeared
himself to a large circle of friends. His gentlemanly bearing and unvarying
courtesy coupled with a bright intellectuality and a genial companionableness
always commanded the affectionate regard and esteem of all with whom he was
brought into contact and thus it is that such deep regret is expressed on all
sides for the loss the community sustained.
The
funeral of the gallant Yeoman took place on Saturday afternoon and as he was at
the time of his death still in the active service of his Queen and country, the
obsequies were accompanied with full military honours. The 1st
Royal Dragoons furnished the necessary adjuncts for the display whilst the rest
of the arrangements ware carried out in his usual admirable manner by Mr. Woods
of this town in spite of very stormy weather that prevailed, a large crowd
assembled in the Back road to see the funeral procession start and at the
graveside it was estimated that between four and five hundred were present,
most of whom were well known residents of the district or old servicemen to
show their last tribute of respect to the memory of the deceased. The cortege was formed at about half past
two in the following order:
A
firing party drawn from the Royal Dragoons under charge Sergeant Vermerlin and
under command of Lieutenant Pilkington the band of the Royal Dragoons in full
dress uniform under bandmaster Gladman, gun carriage drawn by two horses in
charge of mounted escort of Dragoons. Upon the carriage was placed a polished
oak coffin upon which was inscribed: -
William Henry Williams
Died 17th January 1899
Aged 51 years
This
was covered with the union jack and surmounted with hat and sword of a Yeoman Guard,
the three medals of the deceased mounted on velvet and a large number of
beautiful wreaths, three mourning coaches followed conveying following
mourners: -
Mr.
W H Williams junior. Miss Williams. Miss G Williams and Miss Williams,
daughters. Messrs. G Gibbons. Mr Gibbons. F Southwood, nephews; Mr M Southwood,
brother-in-Law, Mr Garlinge, robe keeper of the Yeoman of the Guard. Mr Charles
Kennedy, ex-regimental Sergeant Major 17th lancers, Mr E Manning, Mr
W Garlinge, ex non-commissioned officers of the same. Whilst after the mourning
carriages came a private carriage conveying Mr Bowen formerly of the 17th
and several members of his family. Mr Hanson and Mr Sam Earnshaw and the 17th
Lancers represented Yeomen of the Guard by squadron Sergeant Major Garlinge
whilst the different regiments in garrison manifested their sympathy through
the presence of Regimenta1-Sergeant Major Parsons and a number of the
non-commissioned officers of the Royal Dragoons. Quarter-Master-Sergeant Maule, of the Royal Fusiliers and Quarter
Master Sergeant Rigby of the DCO Middlesex Regiment all of whom followed on
foot. The procession started shortly
before 3 o’clock and went by way of the Lampton Road into Heeton, as the band
played Chopin’s, fine funeral march a solemn dirge by Beethoven and finally as
Heeton church was approached, Handel’s Dead March. As the solemn strains were continued, the coffin was borne into
the church on the shoulders of a number of the, Royal Dragoons through the
ranks of the members of the firing party who faced inward leaning on their arms
reserved. At the Lichgate the body was
met by the Rev. A. E. Bullock chaplain to the troops,who recited the opening
sentences of the burial office as the procession of mourners and troops filed
after the coffin to the sacred building.
The chaplain read the 59th psalm and the appointed lessen
followed by usual prayers. After this
the cortege reformed and proceeded to the prepared grave in the new portion of
the churchyard where the body was duly committed to its last resting place in
the presence of several hundred spectators.
The accustomed “three volleys” were fired over the grave as the band
played the National Anthem and thus ended one of the most impressive funeral functions
that has ever been witnessed in the district.
The many floral tokens, which were deposited on the grave, included a
beautiful floral cross of choice white flowers from Colonel Neele and the
Officers of the 17th DCO Lancers, a large and handsome wreath from
‘Old comrades and Members of the Dinner Committee; W H Bond, Whiting,
C.Applegate, G. W Paul, W Rees, A. Cook, S. D Temberley, F. Reed; a floral figure eight from old Comrades of
the 17th as a token of friendship, wreath from the Sergeants Mess 1st
Royal Dragoons. There was also a magnificent
floral harp from the widow and family and tributes were also sent by Ex-R.S.M.
Kennedy and Mrs Kennedy, Tom, Arthur and Dick Woods with deepest sympathy and
regrets; Mr. Thomas Wyse Foster, ‘A soldier’s son’s token of respect’; Mr. Fred Gibbins and Miss Matthews, Miss
Elizabeth Smith (Sister-in-law), Mr. & Mrs. Bowen; Miss
Garlinge.; Mr.F Southwood Senior; Mr. Frank Southwood and Miss Hetty
Southwood; Mr. John Gibbons, Junior Mr. &Mrs. Garlinge; Mr. & Mrs. Charlie Gibbons etc. etc.
We are asked to publish the following letter of acknowledgment: -
Dear Sir,
On behalf of the widow and family of the late Mr. W.
H. Williams, formerly Quarter Master Sergeant 17th Lancers I beg to
thank the 1st Royal Dragoons for their good feeling in giving him the
grand funeral they did. I also thank
them in the name of my old regiment for what they have done for a good and
deserving comrade. Although the late
Mr. Williams was not personally known to many now serving in the Royals he was
well known by the older hands. There
was always a very friendly feeling between the two regiments which I am glad to
see still exists. I also beg to thank
Mr. T. Woods Junior for the admirable manner in which everything was carried
out - I am sir, -:
Yours sincerely
W Hepburn
Late Sergeant 17th
Lancers.