People on board

WILLIAMS, John

John Williams was born in Old Colwyn on the north coast of Wales about 1878, with his mother named as Anne. This date is based on his given age at death, which may not be accurate. There is little confirmed information about his early life. A marriage in 1897 to Margaret Ellen Evans may be this John Williams, but has not been confirmed. He was Manager in the grocery firm of D. O. Williams in Old Colwyn.

He joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1915 or 1916 and served on the east coast of England. In 1917 he was transferred to the Royal Defence Corps and in 1918 was with the 412th Protection Company, stationed at Liverpool and in Ireland. At that stage he had the rank of Corporal. He was returning on leave on the 10th of October, along with twenty-eight other members of the R.D.C. on board RMS Leinster. John Williams did not survive the sinking but his body was recovered and he was buried in Grangegorman Military Cemetery in Dublin. His effects were later returned to his wife Margaret. He is remembered on the Old Colwyn War Memorial.