WILLIAMS, Jacob

Jacob Williams was born in Brierley Hill and he had enlisted as a regular soldier before 1914. He was in the Cameron Highlanders who were part of the British Expeditionary Force in 1914 and stationed at Aldershot. They mobilised quickly and crossed to Le Havre on the 14th August and were allocated as First Army troops. At the end of the retreat from Mons they were ordered to the 1st Division and took part in the Battle of the Aisne from the 14th September and in several actions on the Aisne Heights. The threat of enemy forces to Ypres entailed a rapid move north in order to defend Ypres. After the crucial battles of late October the Camerons stayed in the Ypres sector and continued to suffer casualties as the line stabilised. Among the casualties was Private Jacob Williams who died on the 22nd December. He is commemorated on the Brierley Hill and Brierley Hill church Memorials.