TOPIC:

PRIVATE LUTHER WILLIAMS: ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS

At the risk of repeating my previous short biographical history of Luther Williams which was posted under the thread "Boer War Memorials of Wales" on the post reporting the ABW memorial on Rhyl Seafront in North Wales, I have since discovered more information about him which I feel definitely warrants a thread all of his own!

I hope that the reader(s) agree that the following addition to his story helps bring his memory vividly back to the present day for us to imagine what it was like to be a Royal Welsh Fusilier at war in South Africa.

PART ONE

Luther Williams was born in Swansea, Glamorgan, South Wales in 1880 to parents John (40) and Maria (39) Williams. Both parents born in Swansea.

In 1881 the family were living at 8 Kimmel Street, Rhuddlan, Flintshire, Wales not far from Rhyl town. John was a Printer compositor by profession.
The children of the family comprised Benjamin (12), Margaret (8), Albert (5), Edith (3), and Luther being the youngest of the family at one year old..
All of the children were born in Swansea and one would imagine spoke with the south Walian accent. Possibly not Welsh speakers in the household as Part Two of this tale may intimate.

By 1891 the Williams family had relocated just down the road at number 2 Kimmel Terrace, South Kinmel Street, Rhuddlan. John and Maria were still Head and Wife of the household. Benjamin, I assume, had fled the nest, Margaret was a Pupil Teacher, Albert a Solicitor's Clerk, Edith and the eleven year old Luther were still scholars.

Life must have been quite pleasant In this part of North Wales for the family as none are recorded as colliers, steelworkers or quarrymen. The seafront at Rhyl with it's sandy beaches and opportunities for having a bit of fun there and perhaps fishing probably made it a decent environment to grow up in.

PART TWO TO FOLLOW AFTER TEA!!.....

PART TWO

With the absence of extant attestation papers, we have to assume that Luther Williams joined the 1st Volunteer Battalion if the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Wrexham and arrived in South Africa with his comrades in November 1899.

Shortly after arriving he penned some letters home to his mam and sister as follows:

From ',Rhyl Recorder and Advertiser", 6th January 1900;

"Mrs. Williams, 2 South Kinmel Street, has received the following letter from her son, Private Luther Williams, of the 3rd Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which forms part of General Buller''s forces at the Tugela. The first letter arrived on December 18th, the second with postscript on the 24th, and third on December 29th.

Regiment No. 5751 D. Company R. W. F.
Field Forced, Transvaal,
South Africa,
MY DEAR MOTHER AND SISTER,-After a very nice voyage to South Africa we have landed here in Durban. The Boers have occupied a place where we should have gone to, and we have got the job of sending them out of it again. We have got all our work cut out for us all. The voyage was a very nice one. Once or twice we had some nasty weather. Now we have got here, we have got to fight and drive the Boers out from our lands. There are three or four regiments cut up already, and we are to go and reinforce them. War is a terrible thing, but we have to do it and all we can to help it. We are as happy as alot of schoolboys let out of school. Well, it will be another Christmas that I will be spending away from home, so I will wish you a happy and joyful Xmas. We are going to a place now called Ladysmith. I expect there will be some fighting on there. LUTHER."
___________________________________________________

Mooi River, South Africa

"DEAR MOTHER AND SISTER,-I now take the greatest of pleasure in writing these few lines to you, hoping you are quite well as it leaves me at present. We arrived here from Durban on the


MUCH MORE TO FOLLOW, PLEASE CALL BACK......