William Ewart Williams was born in 1896, the third son of Ralph and Katherine Williams, Central Stores, Brunswick Road (Daisy Hill), Buckley.  Ralph Williams had married Catherine Davies in 1890. From the 1911 census we see that they had 10 children and all were  still alive. They were  John Ernest, Rowland, Amy, William Ewart, Gladys, Ivy, Mary Kathleen, Ethel, Mona, and Dorothy. William Ewart was listed as an errand boy in 1911. Ralph Williams died in April 1916 aged 44, 3 months before his son.

William Ewart’s death was initially reported missing in the North Wales Coast Pioneer, July 27 1916

Mrs. Charles Williams, Central Stores, Daisy Hill, has also had news of her son, Private Willie Williams, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, being missing. His father was the late Councillor Ralph Williams.

CWGC gives William Ewart’s age as 21 when he died but we know he was born in the last quarter of 1896 and therefore not yet 20 when he died. The family grave at St Matthew’s confirms that he was 19 when he died in July 1916. From William Ewart’s medal card we know that he entered France on 28 September 1915 when he was not yet 19. This suggests that he lied about his age to enlist because men could enlist at 18 but they could not be sent overseas until they were 19.