Recent from talks
Fos Williams
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Fos Williams
Foster Neil "Fos" Williams AM (21 February 1922 – 1 September 2001) was a leading Australian rules footballer who played for and coached the Port Adelaide and West Adelaide Football Clubs and coached South Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) in a career spanning 1946–1978. He also played 34 interstate games for South Australia, captaining the team from 1954 to 1958 and he coached the team in 45 games from 1955 to 1969.
Born in the town of Quorn, located in the Flinders Ranges and some 39 km north-east of Port Augusta, the son of Melville George Williams and Emma Otellia Williams (née McMillan).
The only football Williams played prior to World War II was in Quorn. He played for the Quorn Albions and also was a start player for Quorn High School.
Williams enlisted in the Australian Army on 5 March 1942, serving as a signalman.
On 32 March 1943 Williams transferred to the Royal Australian Navy where he served as a telegrapher on the corvette HMAS Kiama.
HMAS Kiama's initial duty was to escort convoys along the New Guinea coastline. In June 1944 she was given a reassignment to perform anti-submarine patrols in the Solomon Sea. In September Kiama was used to transport soldiers between New Guinea and New Britain. On conclusion, she resumed her convoy escort role until the end of 1944, when she departed for Sydney. In September 1944 Commandos from 'C' Troop and a small detachment from 'B' Troop, the 2/8th Commando Squadron were landed from HMAS Kiama on a reconnaissance operation at Jacquinot Bay on the island of New Britain to collect intelligence in preparation for an assault by the 5th Division. On 25 December the crew was recalled from leave to go to the assistance of the liberty ship SS Robert J. Walker, which had been torpedoed by German submarine U-862. Kiama, along with Quickmatch, Yandra, and USS PC597 found the 67 survivors of the attack at but failed to locate U-862. Kiama was assigned to anti-submarine patrols near Sydney for the final days of 1945 before a month-long refit in Adelaide starting on 3 January 1945. After the refit Kiama was assigned to Fremantle for two months of anti-submarine warfare exercises with the United States Navy, before returning to New Guinea on 7 May 1945. In May and June, the corvette performed several coastal bombardments in the Bougainville area. In July, Kiama transported Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester from New Guinea to the Solomon Islands, then spent the rest of the month moving troops and military cargo between these two locations. From 5 to 24 August, the corvette was based in Brisbane, before returning to New Guinea waters. Kiama spent the rest of 1945 as a troop and supply transport, minesweeper, and general duties vessel. When the war ended, Kiama took part in the Japanese surrender at Rabaul. In November, Kiama was assigned to escort demilitarized Japanese cruiser Kashima as the cruiser embarked Japanese soldiers in New Guinea for repatriation.
Fos Williams was discharged from service on HMAS Kiama on 6 June 1946, nine months after the conclusion of World War II.
Williams had a late start to football due to World War II, returning to Adelaide to start his career as a league footballer in July 1946 at the age of 24.
Hub AI
Fos Williams AI simulator
(@Fos Williams_simulator)
Fos Williams
Foster Neil "Fos" Williams AM (21 February 1922 – 1 September 2001) was a leading Australian rules footballer who played for and coached the Port Adelaide and West Adelaide Football Clubs and coached South Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) in a career spanning 1946–1978. He also played 34 interstate games for South Australia, captaining the team from 1954 to 1958 and he coached the team in 45 games from 1955 to 1969.
Born in the town of Quorn, located in the Flinders Ranges and some 39 km north-east of Port Augusta, the son of Melville George Williams and Emma Otellia Williams (née McMillan).
The only football Williams played prior to World War II was in Quorn. He played for the Quorn Albions and also was a start player for Quorn High School.
Williams enlisted in the Australian Army on 5 March 1942, serving as a signalman.
On 32 March 1943 Williams transferred to the Royal Australian Navy where he served as a telegrapher on the corvette HMAS Kiama.
HMAS Kiama's initial duty was to escort convoys along the New Guinea coastline. In June 1944 she was given a reassignment to perform anti-submarine patrols in the Solomon Sea. In September Kiama was used to transport soldiers between New Guinea and New Britain. On conclusion, she resumed her convoy escort role until the end of 1944, when she departed for Sydney. In September 1944 Commandos from 'C' Troop and a small detachment from 'B' Troop, the 2/8th Commando Squadron were landed from HMAS Kiama on a reconnaissance operation at Jacquinot Bay on the island of New Britain to collect intelligence in preparation for an assault by the 5th Division. On 25 December the crew was recalled from leave to go to the assistance of the liberty ship SS Robert J. Walker, which had been torpedoed by German submarine U-862. Kiama, along with Quickmatch, Yandra, and USS PC597 found the 67 survivors of the attack at but failed to locate U-862. Kiama was assigned to anti-submarine patrols near Sydney for the final days of 1945 before a month-long refit in Adelaide starting on 3 January 1945. After the refit Kiama was assigned to Fremantle for two months of anti-submarine warfare exercises with the United States Navy, before returning to New Guinea on 7 May 1945. In May and June, the corvette performed several coastal bombardments in the Bougainville area. In July, Kiama transported Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester from New Guinea to the Solomon Islands, then spent the rest of the month moving troops and military cargo between these two locations. From 5 to 24 August, the corvette was based in Brisbane, before returning to New Guinea waters. Kiama spent the rest of 1945 as a troop and supply transport, minesweeper, and general duties vessel. When the war ended, Kiama took part in the Japanese surrender at Rabaul. In November, Kiama was assigned to escort demilitarized Japanese cruiser Kashima as the cruiser embarked Japanese soldiers in New Guinea for repatriation.
Fos Williams was discharged from service on HMAS Kiama on 6 June 1946, nine months after the conclusion of World War II.
Williams had a late start to football due to World War II, returning to Adelaide to start his career as a league footballer in July 1946 at the age of 24.