Eric Williams was born at Holmer, Hereford in May 1893, the seventh child of James and Mary Williams who were farmers and hop growers and adopters of steam threshing equipment. His skills as mechanical apprentice at the Commercial Autocar Company (1908-1911) were spotted and he was asked to become one of the first employees of the then nascent A J Stevens &amp; Co., Wolverhampton where he became head of testing and competition driving. After the outbreak of war in 1914 Williams joined the Royal Engineers and was sent to France as part of the Expeditionary Force serving as a despatch rider, where he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for acts of bravery at Neuve Chapelle in 1915. He was gassed on the Somme in 1916 and following a year in hospital he was discharged as invalid in 1917 and recommended to pursue open air life. Williams joined the Food Production Department and was responsible for importing thousands of tractors to coordinate a national effort in land ploughing in an effort to make barren farmland fertile and productive in 1917-18. He maintained his connections with his farming birth right and passion for mechanisation of the land. In 1919 he opened a motor business in Worcester selling cycles, motorcycles and three-wheeled cars and cars and in 1920 Eric Williams Ltd was established adopting its branding “for anything on wheels”. Eric also recommenced his racing and competition activities travelling extensively in UK and Europe.