Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Fireman E. G. Williams, Mercantile Marine, who was killed in action during the Dunkirk Evacuations when his transport ship the S.S. Scotia was bombed and sunk by enemy aircraft on 1 June 1940, killing an estimated 300 men

British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (Edward G. Williams); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45; together with a metal identity disc, stamped ‘E. Williams, H.M.H.S. Cambria’, edge bruising to Great War awards, these nearly very fine, the Second War awards extremely fine (5) £180-£220

Edward Griffith Williams was born in Holyhead in 1887, and served during the Great War in the Mercantile Marine. By 1940 he was serving as a Fireman in the S.S. Scotia, when she was requisitioned by the Admiralty as a Transport Ship, and subsequently took part in the Dunkirk Evacuations. On 1 June 1940, having already successfully carried two troop-loads from Dunkirk back to the U.K., she had just embarked a third load of troops and had began the journey to Dover when she was attacked from the air by a force of four Junkers 87 enemy aircraft. At least four bombs hit the Scotia, and one went down the funnel before exploding. Soon the ship began to sink, and the order was given to abandon ship. More waves of enemy aircraft attacked again, killing many in the water by machine gun fire and dropping more bombs onto the ship.

It is estimated that approximately 330 men onboard the Scotia were killed, including 28 of her crew. Williams was amongst those killed, and he is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial.

Sold with copied medal roll extracts and other research.