Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

First World War 1914-15 Star Medal Issued to Private Arthur James WILLIAMS, 496, 11th Battalion

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c. 1918

Overview

First World War 1914-15 Star Medal issued to Private Arthur James WILLIAMS, 496, 11th Battalion. It is a 4-pointed bronze medal, ensigned with a crown, crossed swords, oak wreath, cypher of King George V and “1914-15” centered. Medal has original silk ribbon in watered colours of red, white and blue, and is 115mm in length.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2024.13.1

Item type

Medals

Themes

War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Brass

Silk (Textile)

Width

45 mm

Height or length

62 mm

Weight

27 g

Inscriptions and markings

Front – “1914 – 15” embossed in centre.
Rear – Stamped in centre, “496 / Pte. A.J. WILLIAMS / 11 B/N A.I.F.

Contextual Information

Pte. Arthur James WILLIAMS enlisted 10th September 1914 and departed Fremantle WA on HMAT Ascanius on 2nd November 1914 as part of the First Convoy. He boarded a boat being ferried by Chelmer, River-class Destroyer when he was hit by machine gun fire. The book ‘The Eleventh’ by Wes Olson states: Only minutes before, B [D] Company cook Arthur “Darky” Williams had said to Lance Corporal George Blay, “I have a presentiment I will not see any more of this war than I did of the South African War.” Williams was one of those hit and died three days later, aged 37 years. Dying of his wounds on the 28th April 1915, was buried at sea between Gallipoli and Alexandria from the ‘Clan MacGillevray’ Troopship. He is remembered at Lone Pine Memorial, Türkiye, Kings Park WA, Kirup Roll of Honour WA, and at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT. He also had previous service in the Australian Commonwealth Horse (Second Boer War) for 4 months and would have departed Albany in 1902. The 1914-15 Star was issued to all soldiers who saw war service between 5/8/1914 and 31/12/1915.

Keywords

WWI

11th Battalion

Year

c. 1918

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Historic significance

Scientific or research significance

Social or spiritual significance

Comparative significance criteria

Interpretive capacity