William Williams (1869 – ?), 46, was one of two of Lusitania‘s masters-at-arms. Williams served in this capacity with Peter Smith. Williams survived the Lusitania sinking, but Smith did not. Williams saved Captain Turner just as the Captain was about to give up being rescued. They had been in the water over 2 ½ hours before they were picked up by the rescue vessel Bluebell.
This biography was made possible by Peter Kelly and a collaboration with the Merseyside Maritime Museum.
Biography
William Williams was born in Tremadoc, Carnarvonshire, Wales, in 1869. In 1915, the family home was at 14, Vienna Street, Everton, Liverpool, Lancashire, England. He was a married man, but details of his wife and family are unknown.
He engaged as Master at Arms, in the Deck Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool on 12 April 1915 at a monthly rate of pay of £5-10s-0d., (£5.50p.), £1-10s-0d., (£1.50p.), of which was advanced to him at the time of engagement. He joined the vessel at Liverpool Pierhead on the morning of 17 April, before she left the River Mersey, for the last ever time, bound for New York. It was not the first time that he had sailed on the Lusitania. There were two masters at arms engaged for this voyage, the other one being 59 year old Peter Smith.
Having docked at New York on 24 April, the Lusitania began her return journey to Liverpool on 1 May 1915 and on the morning of 7 May 1915, when she was within sight of the coast of Ireland, Master at Arms Williams was put in charge of the unloading of the baggage hold and he was still at this station just after 2 p.m., when a single torpedo fired by the German submarine U-20 struck the liner.
Third class passenger survivor Michael Doyle, gave evidence at an inquest held at Kinsale, County Cork, on Monday, 10 May 1915 on five bodies landed there on the evening of 7 May and stated that he was talking to the Master at Arms, when the torpedo was seen approaching and that he, (although he did not name him) had exclaimed: –
Here comes the submarine – as sure as hell she’ll get us.
It is not clear, however whether he was referring to William Williams or Peter Smith.
After the ship had gone down, William Williams was in the sea for some time and eventually came across Captain Turner clinging to some wreckage. He was able to help the captain to stay afloat until they were both rescued by one of the ship’s boats, after which they were picked up by a small steamer, the Bluebell and eventually landed at Queenstown.
Another survivor, Fireman John McStay from Widnes, told of his part in the sinking in the edition of The Widnes Weekly News, published on 14 May 1915. He also stated:
I saw young Jack Roper, an A.B., go back to the vessel in his boat and pick up survivors. He is the lad who saved the captain. I did not see Captain Turner myself, but I believe he was one of the last survivors picked up.
If this is the case, then it must have been Able Seaman Roper’s lifeboat which rescued Master at Arms Williams and Captain Turner. Williams was 46 years old at the time of the sinking.
On his eventual return to Liverpool, William Williams was officially discharged from the last voyage of the Lusitania and was paid the balance of wages owing to him, which amounted to £4-0s-8d., (£4.3p). This sum was in respect of his service on board from 17 April 1915 to 8 May, 24 hours after the vessel had gone down.
Links of interest
William Williams at the Merseyside Maritime Museum
Contributors
Peter Kelly, Ireland
Ellie Moffat, UK
Judith Tavares
References
1901 Census of England and Wales
1911 Census of England and Wales
Bootle Times
Cornish Echo
Cunard Records
I Was There
Imperial War Museum
Liverpool Echo
PRO BT 100/345
Widnes Weekly News
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