Monday 20th December 1915: We deeply regret to announce the
death at the front of Lieutenant Charles James Williams, 8th Bedfords, second
son of H C Williams, Deputy Mayor of Bedford and formerly Commissioner in
Bengal. The death, which occurred yesterday, was due to wounds and gas
poisoning and occurred near Ypres. A promising career has thus been cut short.
Born in 1887
Lieutenant Williams was educated at Charterhouse and Clare College, Cambridge,
where he obtained an Open Classical Scholarship in 1906. He took his degree in
1909 after getting a second in Classics and History and afterwards took the
Bachelor of Civil Law degree. On leaving the University he entered the firm of
Walker and Martineau, Theobalds Road, London and became a solicitor in 1911.
The day after
war was declared he joined the Inns of Court Training Corps and was gazetted to
the 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment as soon as it was formed. He went out
to France last August and is the first
officer in the 8th Battalion to be reported killed.
Lieutenant
Williams was well-known in Bedford and the kindly and pleasant nature which
made him so popular in civil life endeared him to his brother officers, a fact
made evident by the many messages of sympathy that have been received by a
bereaved family. He frequently played hockey for Bedford and the County XI. Mr
Williams’ youngest son is still a prisoner in German East Africa, having been
captured in November 1914. The deepest sympathy will be extended to Mr and Mrs
Williams in the great loss that has befallen them
Source: Bedfordshire Times 24th December 1915
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