Joseph Williams was the son of Joseph & Ellen Williams (nee Edwards), who had married at St. Mark’s Church, Connah’s Quay on the 1^st of November 1917.  Joseph Williams, 24,Bachelor, Furnace Bricklayer, 118, High Street, Father Joseph Williams, Furnace Bricklayer & Ellen Edwards, 24 Spinster 364 High Street, Father John EDWARDS, Pilot.   (By Licence)   Witnesses: – Thomas Edwards & Mary Jones.

According to the Register of Naval Deaths, young Joseph was born on the 20^th of August 1920 and was baptised on the 8th of September 1920 at St. Mark’s Church: – Page 241 No. 1923 8^th September 1920. Joseph s/o Joseph & Ellen Williams, 35, Primrose Hill, Brick-setter.

The 1921 census, which was taken on the 19^th of June 1921, shows us that they were living at 35, Primrose Hill, Connah’s Quay and Joseph Williams (Snr.) was now 28 years and 6 months old, and was a Bricklayer for John Summers & Sons, Hawarden Bridge Steelworks, but was ‘Out of Work.’   Ellen Williams, now 28 years and 11 months old, was doing ‘Home Duties.’    Joseph Williams, their son, was 10 months old and all had been born in Connah’s Quay.

Then I find young Joseph’s parents on the 1939 Register which was taken on the 29th of September 1939, this gives us an update on the family.   They were now living at 5, Howard Street, Connah’s Quay and this source gives us dates of birth.   Joseph Williams (Snr.) had been born on the 28^th of January 1894 and was a Steel Furnace Bricklayer.   Ellen Williams had been born on the 9^th of July 1893 and was doing ‘Unpaid Domestic Duties.’   Joseph Williams (jnr.) was ‘Steelworks – Shear.’   Nellie Williams* (Wells) had been born on the 16^th of May 1922 and was a Spooler at the Silk Works.   Mary Williams (Jones)** had been born on the 28^th of June 1931 and was ‘At School.’    There is a redacted or closed record, but I do not know who that might be.

*Connah’s Quay Parish Register – Marriages

St. Mark’s Church.

Page 60 No 120 20^th March 1943 Wilfred WELLS, 22, Bachelor, Leading Aircraftsman, Ivy Cottage, Rampton, Retford, Notts, Walter WELLS, Farm Labourer & Nellie WILLIAMS, 20 Spinster, 3 Howard Street, Connah’s Quay, Joseph WILLIAMS, Foreman.   (After Banns)

Witnesses: – Ruby JONES & Raymond WILLIAMS.

**Also, Mary Williams married in the March quarter of 1951, when Mary married Kenneth Jones at the Rivertown United Reformed Church, Shotton. (Flintshire (Mold)            A108/02/E24)

I have no other information about young Joseph’s growing up, so any information to help tell his story would be gratefully received.

Although Joseph is recorded as being on H.M.S. President III Royal Navy, this was the shore base for administration, below is the story of the King Frederick and young Joseph’s fate.

Ships hit by U-boats  https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/3295.html

King Frederick

British Steam merchant

Name    King Frederick

Type:     Steam merchant

Tonnage             5,265 tons

Completed         1920 – Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Co Ltd, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Owner  Dodd, Thomson & Co Ltd, London

Homeport          London

Date of attack    19 Jul 1944         Nationality:      British

Fate       Sunk by U-181 (Kurt Freiwald)

Position 9° 29’N, 71° 45’E – Grid MS 7974

Complement     56 (27 dead and 29 survivors).

Convoy

Route    Haifa – Port Said – Aden – Colombo – Calcutta

Cargo    6600 tons of salt and mail

History  Laid down as War Sceptre for The Shipping Controller, completed in March 1920 as Greek Trialos for N.E. Ambatielos, Argostoli. 1923 sold to Britain and renamed King Frederick for Dodd, Thomson & Co Ltd, London.

Notes on event

At 17.03 hours on 19 July 1944 the unescorted King Frederick (Master Richard John Esslemont) was hit by one torpedo from U-181 in the Nine Degree Channel in the Arabian Sea. The wreck was later dispersed. 20 crew members, five gunners and two passengers (military personnel) were lost. The master, 27 crew members and one gunner abandoned ship and were questioned by the Germans. The survivors were picked up by the British Liberty ship Samshee and landed at Aden.

Name    Age        Rank     Served on

Williams, Joseph, RN      23          Able Seaman (DEMS gunner)      King Frederick +

This is the history of the U-Boat that sunk the King Frederick.

 List of all U-boats  https://uboat.net/boats/u181.htm

U-181 Type IXD2

Ordered              15 Aug 1940

Laid down          15 Mar 1941      AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1021)

Launched           30 Dec 1941

Commissioned  9 May 1942        Kptlt. Wolfgang Lüth (Knights Cross)

Commanders    -1 Nov 1943      –             5 May 1945                      Kpt. Kurt Freiwald

Career -4 patrols

9 May 1942        –             30 Sep 1942         4. Flottille (training)

1 Oct 1942          –             31 Oct 1942         10. Flottille (active service)

1 Nov 1942         –             30 Sep 1944         12. Flottille (active service)

1 Oct 1944          –             5 May 1945          33. Flottille (active service)

Successes           27 ships sunk, total tonnage 138,779 GRT

Fate  – Taken over by Japan at Singapore on 5 May 1945 and became the Japanese submarine I 501 on 15 July 1945.

Post war information: On 15 Feb 1946 (GMT), towed by HM Tug Assiduous to the Straits of Malacca, off Singapore, where U-181 (I-501) was scuttled (alongside I 502 / U-862) by the frigate HMS Loch Glendhu.

Many thanks to the work done by the members of uboat.net, without whom we would never find out the fate of many of our servicemen.

Joseph was obviously loved and missed by his family, as they made sure he would be rembered by adding his name to the War Memorial, he is also remembered on the Hawarden War Memorial, please click on the link.