Studio portrait of NX72314 Private (Pte), later Lieutenant (Lt), Desmond Maurice Williams, 2/2 ...

Studio portrait of NX72314 Private (Pte), later Lieutenant (Lt), Desmond Maurice Williams, 2/2 Battalion, of Dulwich Hill, NSW. He was a salesman prior to enlisting on 28 March 1941. In July 1942 he went to Timor with the 2/4 Independent Company to relieve the 2/2 Independent Company in conducting guerilla warfare against the Japanese. Just before leaving Darwin, Pte Williams was promoted to Corporal (Cpl). The 2/4 Independent Company travelled to Timor on board HMAS Voyager which ran aground at Betano Bay, Timor, was bombed by the Japanese, and then destroyed by the crew. Cpl Williams and his unit arrived back in Darwin in January 1943. In August he was promoted to Sergeant. Shortly afterwards his unit travelled to Cairns and then embarked for Milne Bay, New Guinea. In January 1945 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant (Lt). Lt Williams was transferred to the commando force Z Special Unit and sent back to Timor. His unit arrived by parachute in June 1945 and Lt Willliams was reported missing in action a few weeks later. It was later determined that he had been killed in action on 5 July 1945. Lt Williams was 24 years of age.