AN ADVENTUROUS CAREER.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 221, 17 September 1919, Page 9

AN ADVENTUROUS CAREER.

S33AMAW WHIIAMS' DAKEfG. [ ANTARCTIC AND NORTH SEA. (By Telesraph—Press Association.) CHKISTCHUKCH, Tuesday. A particularly well-known member of the crew oi the Tainui -who lost his life: was Seaman Charles Williams, D.S.M.,j son of Captain H. Williams, of Cliriatchurch. His career was marked by| dauntless courage, and tlie 3S jears oi lis life were crowded with adventure. Williams entered the merchant service i on a schooner engaged in the New Zea-' land trade in ISH7. when 1C years of age,, 1 shortly after leaving school at Lyttelton. Be received hi? first naval training as a member of the Xe.v Zealand Xaval Reeerve, and later served on 11.J1.5. Taulanga. It was on board this boat that he first T-evealed lib reckless courage in I .succouring t!ic crew during a terriSej gale. I In mOO Williams received his discharge j from the Xa\y, and a year later he went I to the Antarctic in the Terra Xova. In a terrific storm the pumps of the little ship hecanie choked, and Williams went down between tlie boilers in the blistering heat and removed the obstruction. It was the means of saving the ship from foundering. He had been twice to the Antarctic, firct with Captain Poott and| afterwards with the relief expedition under Commander Evans. He possessed the Antarctic medal and that of the Geographical Society. At the outbreak of war he volunteered for service with tlie North Sea Fleet as stoker. Williams wa s awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for conspicuous! travery during an engagement off Dover, j "Between HJ£s. Broke and H.M.s. Swift find six German warships. Williams was ferving under Commander Evans on tlie Broke. Feeling secure in their superior-1 J ty of number! , , the Germans essayed to' F wk their opponents. Tlie two British boats were surrounded, and put up a I nagnificent fight. Stoker Williams was ftsjeeg in ijg hammock when the ii<rht

began. He-went on deck and devoted his attention to carrying the wounded to safety below the deck, work which wae attended by extreme danger. Commander i-vans recommended him for the D.S.AI. for his bravery. Previously. Williams was on H.M.S. Viking, which etruck a mine in the North Sea, and later he was on H.M.S. Conquest. He took part in the Zeebrugge fight, and was one of the volunteers from the Broke who landed on the Mole there.