In memory of Robert Williams
Robert Williams was born to Rowland Williams of Dolgellau and his wife Mary Ann (nee Ellis), who came from Capel Curig. Robert had three brothers and a sister.
After his schooling, he worked as a farm labourer. He fathered a son called Robert, born in Llanrug in 1911. He married Annie Williams (known as Ann) at Llanrwst register office in September 1913. Their daughter Mary Margaret was born in Wavertree, Liverpool, in 1914 (she and her parents are shown in the photo, left).
Robert enlisted in Llandudno the day after Christmas 1914 and served as a Private with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. In January 1916 he was temporarily released to work on munitions at the aluminium factory in Dolgarrog.
He travelled to Alexandria in February 1917 as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, and continued to Deir el Belah, south west of Gaza. The EEF pushed the Turkish army back, enabling a railhead and airfield to be established at Deir el Belah.
Robert wrote to Ann and Mary – then living at Cil Melyn, in Warden Street, Llanberis – to assure them he was well. He asked them to send some cake and writing paper with their next letter to him. His letter was written on Australian YMCA paper. He wrote that he would return to “the lines” on 15 May.
He was wounded in the head and died on 16 July 1917, aged 38. He is buried at Deir el Belah War Cemetery. His grave was marked with a temporary wooden cross (pictured right) and later with an official headstone, which has the following epitaph:
Yr hyn a allodd hwn, efe a’i gwnaeth. This translates as: What this man could achieve, that he did.
With thanks to Patricia Pitts, great-granddaughter of Robert Williams
Return to Llanberis war memorial page