Charles Francis Williams (SN 5957) from Holmes Street in central Ballarat, attended the Macarthur Street State School before becoming a railway employee. He was 23 years of age when he enlisted on September 25th 1916. He trained with the Australian Army Medical Corps at the Melbourne Showgrounds before embarking on the Nestor just a week later. In February 1917, he reached France attached to the 23rd Battalion. On October 9th 1917 he was wounded in action when he received a gunshot wound to his right arm. He was evacuated to hospital in England where, once recovered, he was transferred to the Provost Corps. While still in England in August 1918 he fractured his ankle (cause not recorded) and this led to him being returned to Australia. He returned, once again on the Nestor, reaching Melbourne on February 1st 1919 where he was discharged ‘medically unfit – sciatica’.