The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (19153) Driver George Nixon Williamson, 110th Australian Howitzer Battery, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (19153) Driver George Nixon Williamson, 110th Australian Howitzer Battery, First World War.

19153 Driver George Nixon Williamson, 110th Australian Howitzer Battery
KIA 14 June 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 11 April 2016

Today we remember and pay tribute to Driver George Nixon Williamson.

George Williamson was born in Sheffield, England, in 1882 to Henry and Emma Williamson. The family came to Australia when George was three years old, and appear to have settled in Sydney. George attended public schools at Hurstville and Woollahra, and went on to attend technical college to become an electrician. George and his brothers Harold and Wilfred had strong links to the land, with Harold and Wilfred moving to settle near Yerra in Queensland. Although George remained in Sydney near his sister Violet and her husband, he listed his occupation as “farmer”, and apparently spent considerable time in the country.

George Williamson enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in November 1915 from Casula, New South Wales, just six days after his brother Harold enlisted in Brisbane. George was posted to the artillery, and underwent training in Australia before embarking from Sydney in May 1916. He arrived in Plymouth two months later and continued training on the Salisbury Plain.

In November 1916 Harold Williamson transferred from the 41st Battalion to the same field artillery brigade as George. This was almost certainly the result of the two brothers meeting overseas and resolving to serve together. In early January 1917 the brothers arrived in France and served in a number of different artillery formations. Like many Australians, they served their unit with neither distinction nor misconduct, and as a result little is known of their service.

Life in the artillery was dangerous. The enemy constantly targeted Australian guns with artillery, attempting to put them out of action, and the men were handling explosives and other dangerous material on a
daily basis.

On 14 June 1917 the Williamsons’ battery was stationed near Messines in Belgium. A dump of ammunition stood nearby in order to supply the guns as they were fired. It was hit by a German shell and went up in a
massive explosion, killing 16 men outright, while another three would die of their wounds.

Both George Williamson and his brother were killed in the blast. Their names appear on a monument that was erected by their comrades nearby, and they were buried in Kandahar Farm Cemetery in Belgium.

George Williamson’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died during the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Driver George Nixon Williamson, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope
of a better world.

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section