Stephen James Whitburn Williams (SN 3947), originally from Daylesford, was a 25 year old labourer when he enlisted at Ballarat on August 8th 1915. He had previously been rejected on account of his teeth. He trained with the 20th Castlemaine Training Battalion then transferred to Ballarat’s 14th Depot Battalion. He embarked from Melbourne on the Ceramic, on November 23rd, with the 12th Reinforcements, 14th Battalion. While in Egypt in early 1916, he was transferred to the 46th Battalion, with which he moved to France in June. On August 30th 1916 he was wounded in action when he received a gunshot wound to his left hand. He was evacuated to hospital in England where he was assessed as unfit for further active service.
In May of 1917 he boarded the Miltiades for return to Australia and disembarked at Melbourne on July 2nd. In September of 1917 he was discharged from the AIF as ‘medically unfit – disability, GSW left hand’.
He died in May 1959 at the age of 67.