John Williams (1895-)
Trimdon coalminer served with Durham Light Infantry and escaped prisoner of war camp
The 1901 and 1911 census records show John Williams living in Trimdon and Trimdon Grange with his parents, John and Mary Jane, and his three sisters, Emma, Dora and Mary Elizabeth. By 1911, at the age of sixteen, he was working as a coalminer.
He enlisted in 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI) and on 21st May 1915, he was among the first of that battalion to land in France.
He was transferred to 8th DLI, probably on 2 February 1918 when 10th DLI were disbanded, and taken prisoner on 27 May 1918 with two other 8th DLI men, Sydney Appleby and William Walker, at Craonne Hill in France.
After they were captured, they were forced to work without food until 11pm, carrying railway sleepers and wounded men. They were then allowed a few hours sleep but woken at 3am and forced to march to Ramecourt where they were put into a compound. The accommodation in the compound was some broken down cottages with no washing facilities and they were forced to do hard work and given little food.
On 25 June 1918, the three men escaped and managed to get back to England where they were interviewed by the authorities and gave statements about their treatment while prisoners of war. The interviews and reports of the Committee on the Treatment of British Prisoners of War can be found at the National Archives (WO 161/100/307).
The National Archives website:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Civil Parish: Trimdon
Birth date: 1895
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 27 North Plantation Row, Trimdon (1901 Census)
13 Cross Plantation, Trimdon Grange (1911 Census)
13 Cross Plantation, Trimdon Grange (1918 International Committee of the Red Cross Records)
Employment: Miner
Family: Parents: John Williams, Mary Jane Williams
Siblings: Emma Williams, Dora Williams, Mary Elizabeth Williams
Military service:
service no. 20878, 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, 21 May 1915
service no. 20878, 8th Battalion Durham Light infantry, 2 February 1918
Taken prisoner at Craonne Hill in France 27 May 1918
Escaped 25 June 1918 and returned to England
Medal(s): Military Medal
Gender: Male
Contributed by BFB, Sunderland
