Pte Percy Williams 33rd (Labour) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and 100th Company, Labour Corps
Private Williams' surviving service records show that he was born in Camberwell, London circa 1888. At some point he was presumably removed to the country and fostered, his Foster Father being given in the records as Chas Thompson, of Dry Drayton.
At the point of call-up (17 March 1916), he noted that he had had 2 years' previous service with the 1st battalion, the Cambridgeshire Regiment. This is quite a short engagement, and it is possible that he was 'bought out' (obtaining his discharge by purchase) or was possibly discharged injured. In any case, it appears that he was under no Reservist's obligation on the outbreak of war. His records show that he expressed a preference for the Army Service Corps. However, the records further suggest that the Corps had no vacancies at the time.
His records show him as being in 'Class 10' and having been called up from Army Reserve. Taken together, these two references would seem to suggest that he was a "Derby Man" rather than a Conscript, one of 318,553 single men called up from the Army 'B' Reserve in the spring of 1916.
At the time of his call-up he resided at High Street, Dry Drayton, being aged 27 years 4 months and employed as a Horsekeeper. He gave his next of kin as his Foster Father, Chas Thompson.
He was called up for General Service, as noted above, on 17 March 1916 and reported to the Cambridge Recruiting Office. From there he was then sent to the Suffolk Regiment Depot, Bury St Edmunds (3rd Suffolks) where he was assessed Medical category B.ii (probably due to his reported "concussed left retina with detachment", as his physical development was described as "very good").
He was then posted on 20 March, under the service number 30377, to the 33rd (Labour) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, which formed on 4/5 March (sources differ) at Seaford in East Sussex. He was probably part of a draft from one of the various depots which contributed troops to the newly-raised battalion.
The 33rd was one of the first three of 33 Infantry Labour Battalions formed, following a War Office decision to enhance the military labour pool in order to supplement the labour efforts to prepare for the Somme Offensive on 1 July 1916. The first three battalions were raised by Northern, Western and Eastern Commands, respectively, each consisting of four 250-man companies, under a Lieutenant-Colonel. Although not definitely established, given the place of formation and the location of Pte Williams' depot, it seems likely that the 33rd were raised under the aegis of Eastern Command.
According to his surviving service records, Pte Williams was sent overseas on 1 April 1916, disembarking the following day. Whilst most published sources agree that the 33rd Battalion went overseas in June 1916, as Army Troops, 1st Army, the account in his records accords apparently with the battalion War Diary. This shows the battalion entraining in two trains at Seaford for Southampton Docks on 2 April 1916 and then setting sail via SS Archangel for Le Havre. Similarly, the 12th (Labour) Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, which was announced at the same time and formed slightly later in March, went overseas on precisely the same timetable as set out in Pte Williams' records and was in action railway building by 3 April. (The 18th Cheshires also appears to have followed a similar timetable.) Although the June date of entry is probably wrong, the attribution of the battalion to road making duties as Army Troops, 1st Army that month is likely to be correct. Certainly, by August 1916 the battalion was recorded as on the strength of 1st Army, on road duties.
A web page on another member of the battalion summarises the war diary as follows:
"The War Diary of the Battalion states that it was formed on the 4th March 1916 and for the next three weeks records a succession of officers, presumably with some engineering background, from various regiments arriving to take up their new duties. The Commanding Officer (C.O.), Colonel W.R. Inglis a career soldier who had previously served with the Norfolks and the Connaught Rangers, assumed command on the 7th March and on the 28th informed the Battalion that it would shortly be serving overseas. Colonel Inglis would not be joining them, a severe chill the following day kept him in his bed and on the 30th March he died."
The War Diary record that the men are unfit "for the first line duty, the majority being recruits but in some cases returned wounded soldiers" and then complaining that the work of forming the men into companies was "considerably put back by the Medical Board's rejecting a large number of men". Despite these pressures and the death of their C.O. the Battalion left Seaford on the 2nd April 1916 aboard two trains for the short journey to Southampton Docks."
(Source: http://www.hoxnehistory.org.uk/Alfred Patterson.php)
On 14 May 1917 his records show Pte Williams as transferred (authority ACF 611 of 1917) under service number 59916 to the Labour Corps and posted to 100 Company. This Company, and the 99th, were both formed from the 33rd Royal Fusiliers. The new regimental numbers issued to these two Labour Companies were 58801-59400 for the 99th Labour Company and 59401-60000 for the 100th Labour Company, Pte Williams falling in the latter bracket.
This is likely to be an example of the records catching up with reality as already in April 1917, 100 Company is recorded as in existence, one of several installing gas and smoke canisters to support the attack on Vimy Ridge. This would fit with a deployment with 1st Army as it was engaged in the Battle.
Early in 1918, Pte Williams returned to the agricultural life, being osted to 3 (987) Agricultural Company on [2]6 February 1918, joining the company in the field the following day (the designation was changed to 987 Coy on 25 April 1918). These units were engaged in growing fresh vegetables for the troops and grain and fodder for the horses.
After just over two years' active service, Pte Williams enjoyed a furlough to the UK, leaving via Calais on or around 15 August and returning to his unit on 29 August 1918.
Pte Williams was further posted on to 1083 Agricultural Company on 14 October 1918. At this time the unit may have been part of a group serving with XV Corps [2nd Army]; certainly it was by 30 November.
According to the British Army Order of Battle for 11 November 1918, it appears that there was one Agricultural Company per Army (except for 4th Army, which had two).
Prior to discharge he was medically examined in France, with no claim for disability being made. He then proceeded to Purfleet Dispersal Centre via Boulogne on 9/10 January 1919 for Dispersal, bring discharged to the Army 'Z' Reserve on 13 February 1919.
His character on discharge was given as Good. His address on discharge was Potting Farm, Dry Drayton, Cambridge.
Pte Williams acknowledged receipt of his medals on 19 July 1921.
