Born at Leeds, Yorkshire.
Enlisted at Malton on the 30th of January 1831.
Trade: Carpenter.
No other enlistment details are shown.
Hew was later stated to have been 5' 9" in height, with a fair complexion, grey eyes, and light brown hair.
From Private to Corporal: 26th of May 1834.
Reduced to Private by a Regimental Court-martial on the 29th of April 1849.
From Private to Corporal: 9th of July 1854.
Wounded in action at Balaclava and taken prisoner of war, 25th October 1854.
He did not return from Russian hands with the remainder in October of 1855 and may possibly have died while in captivity, either on the road from Sebastopol or at Simpheropol. Can find no further trace.
There is only "Prisoner of War, from Oct. 25/54," and the letters "W.O." by the side of his name on the medal rolls. Presumably the latter means that the medal was sent to the War Office.
Next of kin: Father, John Williams, living in Deptford, Kent.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol.
Lummis and Wynn appear to confuse this man with 1571 William Williams, 11th Hussars. They state that James Williams was a brother of 1479 Thomas Williams, 11th Hussars.
The latter was known to have taken part in the Charge and attended the Banquet in 1875.
A William J. Williams was also shown as being present in 1875, and claim is made that these were one and the same man as 663 James Williams. Everything however, points to No's 1479 and 1571 as being the Williams brothers (see records of these men) who had both served in "C" Troop and were known as "Old Taffy" and "Young Taffy".
A "J. Williams" was, however, shown as a member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879, but not in the 1879 revised list.
Did not return from Russian hands with the remainder in October of 1855 and may possibly have died while in captivity, either at Simpheropol or on the road from Sebastopol.