The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1840) Driver Harold William 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 Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (1840) Driver Harold William Williamson, 110th Australian Howitzer Battery, First World War.

1840 Driver Harold William Williamson, 110th Australian Howitzer Battery
KIA 14 June 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 8 September 2016

Today we remember and pay tribute to Driver Harold William Williamson.

Harold Williamson was born in Sydney around 1887 to Henry and Emma Williamson, who had recently migrated to Australia with their family from Sheffield, England. Like his older brother George, Harold attended the St Andrew’s Cathedral School, followed by technical college. Harold went on to become a farmer. The family became somewhat split up as the children grew up. Harold and his brother Wilfred lived in Yerra, Queensland, where they worked as farmers, while George spent time in Sydney and a number of country towns, and their sister Violet remained in Sydney.

Harold Williamson enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in November 1915 from Brisbane. Six days later his brother George enlisted in Casula, New South Wales. While George went into the artillery, Harold began training with the infantry. In March 1916 Harold spent his final leave in Australia at Yerra, visiting Wilfred. On Harold’s last night a large social gathering was held in his honour, during which he and his friends spent their time playing cards and singing. Later that night Harold left to catch his train back to camp, and shortly afterwards he left Australia for service overseas.

In November 1916 Harold Williamson transferred from the 41st Battalion to the same field artillery brigade as his brother 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.

Life in the artillery was dangerous. It involved handling explosives and other dangerous material on a daily basis, and the enemy fired their artillery constantly in an attempt to take out the Australian guns.

On 14 June 1917 the Williamsons’ battery was stationed near Messines in Belgium. A German shell hit a nearby ammunition dump, which went up in a massive explosion. Sixteen men were killed outright, another three would die of their wounds, and six others were wounded.

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

Harold 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 Harold William 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