Thomas Edward Williams has proved to be an elusive soldier to research. The breakthrough was when we were contacted by his Great Grandson, Mark Williams who knew little about him but had his medal with a service number on it.  Through this, we have established some details of his military career. We know little about his life before the war.

We do know that he married Agnes Griffiths from Caergwrle in 1913 in the District of  Wrexham. (She was the sister of Thomas Griffiths who is also named on the Caergwrle/Hope memorials and who has his own page on this website. Much of Agnes’s family story is on that page).  The marriage certificate gives us some more clues.  Thomas ‘s father was Edward Williams, a Collier.  Thomas’s address on the certificate was Cross Street, Gwersyllt. We know from what Mark tells us, that there was at least one child from that marriage. This was a son also named Thomas Edward (Mark’s grandfather).

It is this marriage that connects Thomas to Caergwrle. It seems very likely that he is the T Williams on the memorial.

UK Soldiers Who died in The Great war 1914-19, accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms all the military details at the top of this page. It adds that he was born and enlisted in Wrexham.

His medal index card also on Ancestry lists his three medals and states that he was killed in action on the 3rd July 1916. It also tells us that his first theatre of war was France and he entered it on the 20th July 1915.

The Register of soldiers’ effects in which the army calculated what moneys were owed to deceased soldiers includes an entry for Thomas Williams. It repeats his death date and tells us that his sole legatee was widow Agnes. She received a total of £9 .. 12sh .. 4d in two separate payments.