He was to become the most decorated Welsh Non-Commissioned Officer of all time, his name was John Henry (Jack) Williams.
He was born on 29 th September 1886 in Monmouthshire, in the village of Nantyglo, a son of Henry and Elizabeth Williams. His father worked as a boiler smith at the Ebbw Vale Steelworks, and his mother was a schoolteacher. John attended the Briery School in Ebbw Vale until he was 12 and then began work at the Ebbw Vale Iron & Coal Company Limited as an apprentice Blacksmith in the smith's shop Marine Colliery.
Williams was one of the first men to enlist with a Battalion formed solely from Ebbw Vale. It was to be a unit formed as part of Lloyd George’s Welsh Army Corps. However, it was not until 12th November 1914 that the swearing-in took place and, after initial training, the 631 men who formed the Battalion left Ebbw Vale as part of the 10th South Wales Borderers, bound for Colwyn Bay on 29th December. (The South Wales Borderers were originally known as the 24th Regiment of Foot of The British Army, and at the battle of Rorke’s Drift in the Zulu War was awarded no fewer than 16 Victoria Crosses).
By this gallant action and total disregard of personal danger, he was the means of enabling not only his own company but also those on the flanks to advance. For this act of bravery Company Sergeant Major John Henry Williams was awarded the Victoria Cross.
The citation, published in the London Gazette on 14 th December 1918 reads: “For most conspicuous bravery, initiative and devotion to duty on the night of October 7th - 8th 1918, during an attack on Villers Outreaux, when, observing that his company was suffering heavy casualties from an enemy machine gun, he ordered a Lewis gun to engage it, and went forward, under heavy fire, to the flank of the enemy post which he rushed single-handed, capturing fifteen of the enemy. These prisoners, realising that Williams was alone, turned on him and one of them gripped his rifle. He succeeded in breaking away and bayonetting five enemy, whereupon the remainder again surrendered. By this gallant action and total disregard of personal danger, he was the means of enabling not only his own company but also those on the flanks to advance”.
The date of his initiation is not known but his membership of the Order is confirmed as Sir Windsor James Lodge No.1933. The Lodge wrote in the Quarterly Journal of Summer 1919 the following:- Dear Bro. Rose, Herewith I beg to forward you a few facts concerning Bro. C.S.M. J. H. Williams, V.C., D.C.M., M.M.
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