Patrick Williams (cricketer)

Patrick Cyril Williams OBE (12 December 1912 – 9 December 1981) was both an English first-class cricketer and an officer in the British Army. Williams served in the Royal Corps of Signals from 1933 to 1964, during which time he was recognised for his contribution to the Malayan Emergency. He played first-class cricket while stationed in British India during the Second World War.

Patrick Williams
Personal information
Full name
Patrick Cyril Williams
Born12 December 1912
Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
Died9 December 1981(1981-12-09) (aged 68)
Helston, Cornwall, England
BattingUnknown
BowlingUnknown
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1940/41Europeans
1947Wiltshire
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 1
Runs scored 14
Batting average 7.00
100s/50s –/–
Top score 14
Balls bowled 172
Wickets 3
Bowling average 29.33
5 wickets in innings 1
10 wickets in match
Best bowling 3/88
Catches/stumpings 1/–
Source: Cricinfo, 26 June 2019

Life and military career

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Williams was born at Ningbo in the Republic of China in December 1912. He attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in England, graduating in February 1933 and entering into the Royal Corps of Signals as a second lieutenant.[1] He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in February 1936.[2] He served with the Royal Army Signal Corps during the Second World War, during which he was promoted to the rank of captain in February 1941.[3] While stationed in British India in December 1940, Williams made a single appearance in first-class cricket for the Europeans against The Rest at Bombay.[4] Batting twice in the match, he was dismissed for 14 runs in the Europeans first-innings by Grimley Richards, while in their second-innings he was dismissed without scoring by W. L. Mascarenhas. With the ball he took 3 wickets in The Rest's first-innings, taking figures of 3 for 88.[5]

Just under a year after the conclusion of the war, he was promoted to the rank of major in July 1946.[6] Williams played minor counties cricket for Wiltshire upon his return from duty, making a single appearance in the 1947 Minor Counties Championship.[7] He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in April 1954.[8] He was made an OBE in December 1957, in recognition of his service during the Malayan Emergency.[9] He was promoted to the rank of colonel in November 1985.[10] He retired from active service in July 1964.[11] He died in December 1981 at Helston.

References

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  1. ^ "No. 33908". The London Gazette. 3 February 1933. p. 742.
  2. ^ "No. 34252". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 February 1936. p. 733.
  3. ^ "No. 35063". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 January 1941. p. 675.
  4. ^ "First-Class Matches played by Patrick Williams". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Europeans v The Rest, 1940/41". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  6. ^ "No. 37635". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 July 1946. p. 3370.
  7. ^ "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Patrick Williams". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  8. ^ "No. 40300". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 October 1954. p. 5831.
  9. ^ "No. 41257". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 December 1957. p. 7427.
  10. ^ "No. 41550". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 November 1958. p. 7047.
  11. ^ "No. 43396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 July 1964. p. 6495.
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