LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWII
Private Henry Morlais Williams
1st Bn The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
Town Memorial World War II
HENRY MORLAIS WILLIAMS
Service Number: 6092434
Regiment & Unit/Ship
The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
1st Bn.
Died 16 June 1940
Age 21 years old
Buried or commemorated at
DELHI WAR CEMETERY
7. C. 13.
India
Son of John Edward and Mary Jane Williams, of Leatherhead, Surrey.
Personal Inscription
HE IS GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN. NEVER SHALL HIS MEMORY FADE
Surrey Mirror
Friday 20 September 1940
CASUALTIES IN SURREY REGIMENTS.
Queen’s Royal (West Surrey) Regiment.
Queen’s Royal (West Surrey) Regiment.
...
Died. Pte. H. M. Williams
Died. Pte. H. M. Williams
The Regimental Roll records that he had another Army Number, 10060178, had enlisted 15 September 1939 and that he died at Simla on 16 June 1940.
The 1st Battalion Queen's Royal (West Surrey) Regiment continued to serve in India at the start of the Second World War and fought for a year against tribesmen on the North-West Frontier. The Battalion then transferred to Burma and saw a great deal of hard fighting against the Japanese in the Arakan, at Kohima and in the Irrawaddy operations. After the Japanese surrender, the 1st Battalion spent a short period in Malaya, before returning home.
In the absence of presently accessible regimental records and detailed press reports the circumstances of his death are not known. 'Died' suggests illness or an accident.
Henry was born about 1919. The family origin of his middle name - Morlais - has not so far emerged. It is a Welsh boy's name, said to come from the Moralis river.
His father was Edward John Williams, born about 1873, Cirencester, Gloucestershire. He was a son of James Williams, Master of a private boarding school in Avebury,and Hannah Smith from Cheltenham. The death of Edward J Williams, aged 73, was registered at Swindon in April 1946.
His mother was Mary Jane Combes born 1869 at Stoke Next Guildford, Surrey. She was a daughter of Isaac Combes, a Carpenter from Frensham, Surrey, and Jane Combes, also from Frensham.
They were married on 25 July 1898 at St John the Evangelist, Stoke Next Guildford. Edward, aged 26, was described as a Clothier: his father James was a Schoolmaster. Mary's father, Isaac, was a Retired Carpenter.
Henry had a sister, Mary Gladys, born about 1902. There may have been others.
His family were in the Leatherhead area since at least 1937, according to the Electoral Registers:
1939-62: 21 Cleeve Road, Leatherhead (his
father not listed 1945 onwards)
1937-38: 92 The Street, Fetcham
1911: 97 Victoria Road, Swindon, Wiltshire: at this time his father was an Outfitter working on his own account, at home.
1911: 97 Victoria Road, Swindon, Wiltshire: at this time his father was an Outfitter working on his own account, at home.
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
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further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, his headstone, and any recollections of him
last updated 3 Aug 20