Mal Williams

Maldwyn Leslie Williams (9 September 1886 – 3 March 1917), known as "Mal" as a VFL footballer, mostly known as "Les" — and sometimes as "Billy" (from "Williams") — was an Australian rules footballer who played with University in the Victorian Football League. A graduate (M.B.B.S.) of Melbourne University, Lieutenant-Colonel Williams, serving as a medical officer in the First AIF, died as a result of wounds received in action, in France.

Mal Williams
Personal information
Full name Maldwyn Leslie Williams
Date of birth (1886-09-09)9 September 1886
Place of birth Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
Date of death 3 March 1917(1917-03-03) (aged 30)
Place of death near Dernancourt, France[1]
Original team(s) Trinity College
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1908 University 7 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1909.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of Edward David Williams (1842–1909), M.L.A.,[2][3][4] and Jane Williams (1849–1919), née Jones,[5][6] and brother of Susannah Jane Williams (1875–1942),[7] he was born Castlemaine, Victoria on 9 September 1886.

He married Margaret Grant on 26 March 1913.[8] they had two children,[9] Margaret Ruth Williams, born in May 1914,[10][11] and Marie Helen Williams, born in November 1915.[12][13]

Education

Educated at Castlemaine Grammar School and Melbourne Grammar School,[14][15] Williams entered the University of Melbourne in March 1904, where he was a resident student at Trinity College for his entire undergraduate studies,[16] having won a Trinity College scholarship.[17]

Medicine

He graduated in medicine in 1908,[18][19] and working as a surgeon at Bendigo Base Hospital, before going into private practice.[20]

Football
Rule 10
                     The Hobart Mercury, 9 July 1910.[21]

    During the match, South Bendigo v. California Gully [on
29 June], a very funny incident happened.
    The ground was sloppy, and bouncing the ball became
impossible.
    Dr. Williams (late of University), playing for South Bendigo,
has evidently made a close study of the laws of the game,
for, during the last quarter, when South was in a tight corner,
he got the ball and tore away with it.
    When he had travelled about 10 yards he bent down and
struck the ball against the ground, and then was off again
until he had repeated it about four or five times.
    He covered fully 40 or 50 yards.
    The other side, apparently, were so thunderstruck that
they did not attempt to chase him for a long while.
    The incident caused great amusement amongst players
and spectators alike, and led to a great deal of discussion
after the match as to whether he was within his rights or not.
    The umpire, Boyle, explained law 10, and the debaters
were satisfied that the doctor had taught them a good
point of the game.
    Law 10 provides that the ball may be taken in hand at any
time but not carried, further than is necessary for a kick,
unless the player strikes it against the ground at least
once in every 10 yards.

    It does not state that the ball should be bounced …

University

While at University he played inter-collegiate football for Trinity College.

In his last year at University (1908), both Melbourne University and the Richmond Football Club were admitted to the Victorian Football League (VFL). One of 32 players used by the university club in that inaugural season, he played seven senior matches for the university team — making his debut in the team that beat St Kilda 8.6 (54) to 5.10 (40) in round 4 (23 May 1908).

South Bendigo

He continued his football career during 1910 and 1911,[22] when he was a "dashing half-back" with the South Bendigo football team;[23] and, in 1913 and 1914, he served on the South Bendigo committee.[24]

Military

In 1909 he joined the No. 2 Field Ambulance as captain.[25] Once he had relocated to Bendigo (in 1910), he was posted to Kitchener Camp; and was later attached to the 67th (Bendigo) Infantry as a supernumerary medical officer. With the introduction of the universal military training scheme in Australia during 1911, he was given command of the B Section, 17th Australian Army Medical Corps. He was promoted to major in April 1914,[26] and assumed command of the whole Corps in 1915.

He enlisted in the First AIF, at Bendigo, in July 1915, and entered camp on 24 August that year.[27] He saw service with the Field Ambulance in Egypt before being transferred to France.

Williams was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in December 1916.[28]

Death

He was wounded in action when in command of the 1st Field Ambulance, at Eaucourt L'Abbaye, when shot through the left shoulder and the lung on 2 March 1917 by an "indiscriminate sniper".[29]

He died of his wounds at the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, at Edgehill (near Dernancourt), on 3 March 1917.[30][31][32] A few days later, the Australian Surgeon-General, Major-General Sir Neville Howse, VC, paid tribute to Williams by stating that, "everyone deplores the loss of a brilliant, popular young officer".[33]

Mentioned in despatches

On 1 June 1917, the British War Office announced that Williams had been mentioned in dispatches.[34][35] The posthumous recommendation, made by the G.O.C. 1st. Australian Division, dated 7 March 1917, read:

Lieutenant-Colonel Maldwyn Leslie Williams:
Seriously wounded in the forward area, when in charge of the Main Dressing Station at Bazentin and died of wounds on 3/3/17.
This officer would have been recommended for the D.S.O. if he had lived.
He was a very able administrator, and untiring and fearless in carrying out arrangements for evacuation of wounded.[36]

Remembered

Trinity College
  • Memorial plaque erected in Trinity College Chapel, Parkville (unveiled on 5 December 1917).[37]
This tablet is a tribute of affection and gratitude to the memory of Maldwyn Leslie Williams, M.B.B.S., Lieut-Colonel and commanding officer of the First Field Ambulance in the Australian Imperial Force.
He died for the Empire on March 3rd 1917, from wounds sustained at Bapaume in France in the most faithful execution of his duty.
At the University he won distinction in his medical course.
He was a fine sportsman and played a worthy part in the Intercollegiate contests. He was deservedly loved by his fellow students for his simplicity, geniality, and graciousness, his gentleness and strength. He died as he had lived, sacrificing himself for others, and his spirit is with us still.
This tablet has been erected by the officers, non-commissioned officers and men of his unit.
"Death is swallowed up in victory."[38][39]

Castlemaine
  • Memorial plaque erected in the Congregational Church, Castlemaine (relocated to the Uniting Church, Castlemaine).
To the Memory of Lieut. M.L. Williams 1st Fld. AMBE, A.I.F.
(Late Major 8th Fld. AMBE)
Erected by his fellow officers of the 8th Fld, Ambulance A.I.F who left Australia and served in Egypt and France with him to preserve the memory of one they loved and admired and respected, who was wounded, fearlessly doing his duty on the 26th Feb. 1917, during the advance on Bapaume, and died on the 3rd Mar. 1917 at Dernancourt, in the Village Cemetery of which place his body lies.[40]

Bendigo
  • Memorial plaque erected at the Bendigo Hospital by the Bendigo and Northern District branch of the British Medical Association.[41]

Australian War Memorial
  • His name is located at panel 184 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.

Commonwealth war grave
  • He is buried at the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension.[42]

See also

Footnotes
  1. Main, J. & Allen, D., "Williams, Maldwyn", pp.191-192 in Main, J. & Allen, D., Fallen — The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War, Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002. Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour: Maldwyn Leslie Williams
  2. Anecdotal Photograph: Mr E. D. Williams, M.L.A., Table Talk, (Friday, 21 December 1894), pp.9, 10.
  3. "Edward David Williams", Remember Database, Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  4. Death of Mr E. D. Williams, The Mount Alexander Mail, (Monday, 18 October 1909), p.2.
  5. Cope, G., "Williams, Edward David (1842–1909)", Australian Dictionary of Biography.
  6. Deaths: Williams, The Age, (Tuesday, 12 August 1919), p.1; Obituary, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 16 August, 1919), p.24.
  7. Horner, P., "Williams, Susannah Jane (1875-1942)", Australian Dictionary of Biography.
  8. Bendigo Happenings, The Bendigo Independent, (Saturday, 1 March 1913), p.10.
  9. "After [Williams'] death, his wife added the names Maldwyn and Leslie to his daughters’ names. Hence, Ruth’s third name was Maldwyn and Marie Helen’s third name became Leslie. The elder of the two daughters continued to be known as Ruth; however the younger was known as Leslie. Both daughters went to Melbourne University; Ruth did a BA and Dip Ed and in the 1930s taught at Girton Grammar in Bendigo. … Leslie became a doctor and had a distinguished career – studying and working in Canada and Switzerland before returning to Australia, working with TB, then for many years being in charge of Haematology at the Queen Victoria Hospital." (Millar, 2013, p.34.)
  10. University Commencement: Degrees Conferred: Bachelor of Arts (Margaret R. M. Williams), The Argus, (Monday, 8 April 1935), p.10; The University: Commencement: Conferring of Degrees: Diploma of Education (Margaret R. M. Williams), The Age, (Monday, 6 April 1936), p.12.
  11. Valete (Ruth Williams), The Fleur-de-Lys, Trinity College, Melbourne University, Vol.4, No.36, November 1936, p.30.
  12. University Degrees: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (Marie H. L. Williams), The Argus, (Thursday, 22 December 1938), p.2; Alfred Hospital Medical Staff, The Age, (Saturday, 24 December 1938), p.14.
  13. Valete (Leslie Williams), The Fleur-de-Lys, Trinity College, Melbourne University, Vol.4, No.38, October 1938, p.42.
  14. Millar (2013), p.4.
  15. "Matriculation Results", The Bendigo Independent, (Friday, 10 January 1902), p. 2.
  16. "The War Memorial", The Fleur-de-Ly, vol. 3, no. 22 (Nov. 1922): 16.
  17. Personal, The Argus, (Wednesday, 14 March 1917, p6.
  18. "University of Melbourne: Final Honour Examinations in Medicine: December, 1908", The Argus, (Wednesday, 23 December 1908), p.4.
  19. Degrees Conferred, The Australasian, (Saturday, 2 January 1909), p.38.
  20. "First Aid" Class, The Bendigo Independent, (Wednesday, 10 September 1913), p.4.
  21. Football, The Mercury, (Saturday, 9 July 1910), p.9.
  22. Bendigo Association, The Bendigo Independent, (Tueadsay, 26 April 1910), p.6; Football: Players' Permits, The Argus, (Saturday, 30 April 1910), p.17.
  23. "The Supreme Sacrifice—Lieutenant-Colonel M.L. Williams—Died from Wounds—A Popular Officer", The Bendigonian, 15 Mar. 1917, p. 10.
  24. South Bendigo Club, The Bendigo Independent, (Saturday, 12 April 1913), p.9; South Bendigo Club, The Bendigo Independent, (Wednesday, 22 April 1914), p.3.
  25. Victoria: Australian Army Medical Corps, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, (Saturday, 13 March 1909), p.824.
  26. Military Forces of the Commonwealth; Appointments, Etc., Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No.36, (Saturday, 20 June 1914), p.1058.
  27. Major M. L. Williams: Prominent Castlemaine Boy: Enlists for Active Service, The Mount Alexander Mail, (Tuesday, 24 August 1915), p.2; Dr. M. L. Williams: To Go To The Front: A Popular Officer, The Bendigonian, (Thursday, 26 August 1915), p.26.
  28. Australian Imperial Force: Appointments, Promotions, Etc.: Army Medical Corps: 1st Field Ambulance, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No.41, (Thursday, 15 March 1917), p.491.
  29. "Lieutenant-Colonel M.L. Williams—Seriously Wounded—A Popular Officer", The Bendigo Advertiser, 13 Mar. 1917, p. 5; Prattle About People, (Melbourne) Punch, (Thursday, 22 March 1917), p.6.
  30. Deaths: On Active Service: Williams, The Age, (Saturday, 17 March 1917), p. 5.
  31. "Died from Wounds—Lieut.-Colonel M. L. Williams—Widespread Regret", The Bendigo Advertiser, 14 Mar. 1917, p. 3.
  32. Wills and Estates, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 3 November 1917), p.24.
  33. "Lieut.-Colonel M.L. Williams—Killed by a Shell—Tribute by Surgeon-General House (sic)", The Bendigo Advertiser, 23 Mar. 1917, p. 5; "Lieut.-Col. M.I. (sic) Williams—Killed by a Shell", The Kyneton Guardian, 24 Mar. 1917, p. 2.
  34. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No.169, (Thursday, 4 October 1917), p.2625.
  35. "Personal", The Argus, 6 Oct. 1917, p. 16.
  36. Australian War Memorial records.
  37. Personal, The Argus, (Thursday, 6 December 1917), p.6; About People, The Age, (Friday, 7 December 1917), p.8.
  38. Monument Australia: Maldwyn Williams.
  39. "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Corinthians 15:54.
  40. Millar (2013). p.37.
  41. Killed in Action: Castlemaine District Soldiers: Memorial Tablets, The Mount Alexander Mail, (Wednesday 8 August 1917), p.2.
  42. Williams, Maldwyn Leslie, The Bendigo Roll of Honour.

Sources
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