Karl Williams - WW1 Veteran

KARL GORDON WILLIAMS

14^th January 1891 – 31^st August 1971

I noticed in the very good photo on the cover of the Barraba Community News on 2^nd November that the tall man listed as “H. G. Williams” is actually my grandfather, Karl Gordon Williams, known as Gordon or “KG” as distinct from his father Charles Gordon Williams who was often called “CG”. 

Gordon was the oldest son and second child of Charles Gordon Williams and Emily Anne Crowley.  According to my aunt, Rita Williams, he was named “Karl” because it sounded like “Charles” – not as I cheekily suggested, after Karl Marx.  The Gordon name comes from his grandmother Mary Innes Gordon, the wife of Henry Edwin Williams.  Gordon owned and worked on the property “Sadowa”, which is in the area of Rocky Creek, but he often came to Barraba and a number of local people have worked at “Sadowa”.   People who knew him have various stories to tell about him, not all of them very flattering.  However, I doubt anyone would deny that he was hard working and honest.  He had definite views about some things.  Recently his daughter Rita told me that one day when he came to Barraba he met his brother Guy Williams in the street.  Guy had just been playing tennis and he had his white tennis clothes on and he was wearing shorts.  Apparently, Gordon found that highly offensive and he told Guy to go home at once and get dressed decently and not be out in public in a such a state of undress!  I am unclear as to whether Gordon thought Guy should not be wearing shorts and revealing bare legs, or if the problem was only that he was on the street and he would have been okay on the tennis court.

Gordon never served overseas with the 33^rd Battalion.  I was aware that it was for some health related reason, but I hadn’t realised until I asked Rita last week that he had actually boarded the ship before a senior officer noticed he walked with a slight limp.  Apparently, he had suffered an accident involving a horse some years before.  So, he was declared not fit to serve and sent home.

Julie Williams