The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Williams
- First Name:
- Ralph Thomas
- Nick Name:
- Bob
- Rank:
- Acting Corporal
- Regimental #:
- WX7499
- Company:
- ‘D’ Company, No. 15 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 6.08.1940
- Discharged:
- 11.03.1946
- DOB:
- 12.04.1919
- Place of Birth:
- Fremantle
- Father's Name:
- Albert Andrew Williams
- Mothers's Name:
- Blanche Annie Williams (nee Welshman)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Storeman
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
- Force:
- ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion.
- Camps Thailand:
- Tarsau (July 1943-June 1944), Konkoita (June-September 1944), Tamarkan (September-December 1944), Chungkai (December 1944-March 1945), Petchaburi (March-July 1945), Nakom Nayok (July-August 1945) and Bangkok (September 1945).
- POW#:
- 8854
- Return Details 1945:
- Thailand-Singapore by aircraft, Singapore-Fremantle, HMT Tamaroa.
General Description
Williams enlisted AIF 6 Aug 1940 later joining 2/4th MGB’s ‘D’ Company No. 15 Platoon under Commanding Officer Lt. Meiklejohn. He was one of four Corporals for 15 Platoon. When an additional Platoon was formed, Williams was included in No. 16 Platoon
Soldier was shell shocked at Ulu Pandan 12/2/1942.
Please read further about 15 Platoon
Williams was selected in Singapore to work on Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force S Battalion which departed by train 14 Mar 1943. Their first working camp was Tarsau. It appears Williams remained at Tarsau from July 1943 through to June 1944 – and did not work on the Hellfire Pass Cutting with S Battalion.
In June 1994 through to Sept 1944 Williams was working at Konkoita Camp.
Then to Tamarkan Sept to Dec 1944.
Chungkai Camp Dec 1944 to March 1945.
Petchaburi – March 45 to July 1945.
Nakom Nayok July to Aug 1945 from where he was recovered and sent to Bangkok to fly to Singapore.
Front: L-R Clive (Potty) White, Charles Fielder, Jim Basell, Reg Stewart, Roy Matthews, Pommie Para, Sid Webb, N. Simmonds
Please read further with updates of news from POWs in Burma
Ralph’s parents Albert Andrew Williams and Blanche Annie Welshman married 1913 Fremantle. The family remained living in Fremantle with their large family – Victor, Leo, Ralph, Jack, Blanche and Thelma (and Jim).
Below: Blanche’s brother died 1934. Frederick William was one of five brothers of the Welshman’s family to enlist WW1 – as well as Ralph’s father Albert Andrew Williams who enlisted July 1915 -Sapper, 6th Field Company Engineers, AIF WW1.
Ralph grew up within a family of WW1 soldiers and their stories.
Ralph’s grandmother Annie Welshman died in 1935.
We know there were two other sons, Jack and Jim as above newspaper clipping informs us.
Williams enlisted 6 Aug 1940, and joined ‘D’ Coy
After the war Ralph was residing South Perth in 1951, married with two children and working Victoria Park managing a store for Bruce Small Pty Ltd. He had married about 1941 to Norma Wood. The couple divorced in the 1950s.
Ralph Williams later remarried to Joy Rachel Harriett Williams.
Ralph Williams, of Subiaco died 1990 aged 72 years.
His father Albert Andrew Williams died 1970 at 81 years at North Fremantle. Blanche Annie Williams died 29 Dec 1982 at Hilton aged 94 years.
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Nakom Nayok, Nakhon Nayok - Thailand
- Petchaburi - Thailand
- Tamarkan, Tha Makham 56k - Thailand
- Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
