A CEREMONY was performed in Chepstow on Monday 25th April in remembrance of Anzac day and to commemorate 101 years since a Chepstow man earned a Victoria Cross.

Able Seaman William Charles William was raised in Chepstow, and served on 18 ships before serving on the HMS River Clyde during World War I.

He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the beach landing at Cape Helles, on the Turkish peninsula Gallipoli, 101 years ago on 25th April 1915. It is for this reason that Chepstow is one of the few British towns to perform a ceremony on Anzac day, a day which was originally declared to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought during the Gallipoli campaign.

Wreaths were laid on the Memorial Gun by family members, the Royal British Legion, the Chepstow mayor, and other delegates. The Memorial Gun itself was originally presented to Chepstow by King George V in recognition of Able Seaman Williams’ actions, after being removed from captured German submarine U-91.

Speaking at the ceremony, Commander Christopher Wilson, president of the Royal Naval Association, recounted the story of the fateful day:

“As part of the landing at Gallipoli on 25th April 1915, the River Clyde alongside another ship and transport barges were meant to form a jetty for soldiers to disembark. But the first ship failed to reach the shore, and were raked with heavy gunfire. Two battalions that attempted to reach the shore were hit very hard with 70 per cent casualties.

“The captain of HMS River Clyde took Williams and others to try and form a bridge to shore. Williams was chest deep in water holding two barges together with ropes so that men could reach the shore, and was seriously injured in the process. He was later killed by a shell explosion, as a rescue was attempted by his commander, who described him as the bravest man he had ever met. Williams was 34.”

The service was lead by Rev Chris Blanchard, with Corporal Francombe from 1st Battalion Rifles performing the last post before a two minute silence was held.

Able Seaman Williams’ nephew Trevor was in attendance, and said “It’s good to see this carry on, I should think it will never be forgotten.”

Following the ceremony, guests were invited to visit the newly named Centenary Fields at Garden City Hardwick open space. The green space had been dedicated through the Fields in Trust initiative to recognise a century since World War I. A spokesperson for Chepstow Town Council said “it will remain as a green open space in perpetuity for the enjoyment of future generations.”