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British officer Commissioner Harry Williams was recently admitted to the Order of the Founder in a ceremony at International Headquarters (IHQ) in London.
This honor—the highest awarded by The Salvation Army—recognizes outstanding service that would have been commended by William Booth, Army Founder.
Commissioner Williams has had a varied career as an Army officer. Already a medical student when he entered training, he completed these studies after commissioning in 1935 with the Challenge Session.
With his wife, Ellen (promoted to Glory in 2002), he served in India for 30 years, in Army hospitals, living among the people he served. Skilled in plastic surgery, he used this expertise to improve the lives of some of India’s poorest people.
Later he became territorial commander in Southern India, New Zealand and the Australia Eastern Territory. He then served at IHQ as international secretary for the Americas and Australasia and as international secretary for planning and development.
During this time he oversaw the beginning of medical work in Bolivia and was influential in the development of SAWSO, the Salvation Army World Services Office. The Army hospital in Cochabamba, Bolivia bears his name.
From 1975 until his retirement from active service in 1978, he represented the Army on the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches.
He is also a writer and an artist, and still sells paintings to raise funds for worthy projects.
General John Larsson described Williams as a Renaissance man, and mentioned that, because of his seemingly boundless energy, he had been known as Hurricane Harry. “The hurricane still blows,” he confirmed.
Commissioner Williams paid tribute to The Salvation Army for giving its officers scope to develop their talents for the benefit of the Army.