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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Pte. James Watt
British Army 11th Btn. Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
(d.21st Mar 1916)
James Watt is our Great Uncle. My cousin Brian Cruden in Aberdeen has been searching for James for quite sometime. He tracked him down quite by chance via a war medal. This then led him to his War Will where he found out he had used this alias. His actual name was John Cassie who left the Gordon Highlanders in 1914 after being with them since 1898 only to rejoin under the regiment and alias he died with: James Watt Brian has contacted the War Graves Commission to have his name put on his headstone at Rifle House Cemetery Belgium. We do not know why he did what he did. If anyone can shed any light on our story we would be grateful.
Editors Note: John Cassie alias James Watt is reported as having died in March 1916 during the build up towards the Somme. Possibly from earlier wounds.
Pte. James Watt
British Army 5th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Newcastle upon Tyne
(d.7th Feb 1916)
Lt. James Watt MC.
British Army 9th Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
from:Portobello, Scotland
In 1899, at the age of 17, James Watt joined the Territorial Army, 9th Royal Scots (The Dandy Ninth), but being too young for ranks he served as a bugler. He joined the 2/1st Scottish Horse in 1914 and served as an NCO in Gallipoli, Sinai, and Salonika. He was then commissioned into the 9th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, with which he served in France. He was awarded the Military Cross for action at Viller-Guislain during the Battle of Cambrai. In WWII, he served with the Royal Scots, 70th National Defence Battalion from 1939 to 1942, when he was discharged at age 60.
In 1957, he was appointed Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Edinburgh. In 1963, he was enrolled as a Knight of Justice in The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. In 1968, he published his memoirs Irons in the Fire. In January 1975, at the age of 93, he died at West Linton, Edinburgh.
L/Cpl. Joseph Watt
British Army Durham Light Infantry
from:Sacriston, Durham
Joseph Watt served with the Durham Light Infantry and 174th Tunneling Company, RE.
Pte. Maddison Horsley Watt
British Army 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
(d.8th May 1915)
2nd Lt. Norman Watt
Royal Flying Corps 53rd Sqd.
(d.29th Jul 1917)
2nd Lt. Norman Lindley Watt
Royal Flying Corps
from:Natal, South Africa
(d.27th July 1917)
Norman Lindley Watt was a Rhodes Scholar at Pembroke College, Oxford, as was his younger brother Bill. He was born in the Orange Free State at the town of Lindley. Their father, an Irish doctor, had been a Boer Medical Officer in the Boer War, including the siege of Ladysmith. Medical officers were non-combatant but he had been captured by the British. Norman Watt, like many Southern Hemisphere soldiers, joined King Edward's Horse, and then later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, as did his brother. Norman was killed in July 1917; he is remembered by inscriptions in Rhodes Hall and in St. Columba's church in Oxford. Bill survived the War although he was badly wounded. Many mementoes of Norman Watt have been kept by his sister, Fay and her family.
Rflmn. Robert John Watt
British Army 11th Btn., C Coy. Royal Irish Rifles
(d.29th February 1916)
Robert Watt was killed on 29th of February 1916 and is buried in Mesnil Ridge Cemetery. He was 30 years old when he died. He was the son of Mrs Agnes Watt and was married to Elizabeth Ann Watt of Portglenone, Co. Antrim.
Fus. Stephen Adamson Watt
British Army 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Jarrow
(d.26th May 1915)
Stephen Adamson Watt, Fusilier 21056, enlisted at Jarrow and served in the 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He died age 30 on the 26th May 1915 and is remembered at St. Paul's Church and on the Ypres(Menin Gate)Memorial. His medal card records him as presumed dead and the award of the 1915 Star, War and Victory Medals.
Stephen was born in Monkswearmouth 1885, son of ------ and Sarah Watt. He was married to Caroline Watt nee Turner. In the 1911 census Stephen(26) a labourer in the shipyard, is living at 22 Ferry Street Back Jarrow with his wife of one year Caroline(20). They have one child Ethel who is 11 months old. Also living at this address is Stephen's widowed mother Sarah Watt age 59, a fish hawker.
L/Cpl. William Spiers Shanks Watt
British Army A Coy, 9th (Service) Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
from:Barony, Glasgow
(d.20th Sep 1917)
Gnr. Albert Watters
British Army 189th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
(d.10th Jun 1917)
Albert Watters was killed at the Battle of Messines.
Gnr. William Dunn Watters
British Army Fifeshire Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Fife
My great- grandfather William Dunn Watters was in the territorial army, a gunner with the RGA Fifeshire Heavy Battery in 51st Highland Division. His address in 1918 was Cowdenbeath Fife, on his marriage records he was stationed at Sheringham England, home base to the Royal Artillery. I can find no other records of him, I have a photo of him in his uniform and the badge on his shoulder has a T then RGA then Fifeshire, he survived the war, I would like to know if there are any records of him and what his regiment contributed to the first word war.
Private Robert Stanley Watterson
Army Kings Liverpool
I believe Pte. Robert Stanley Watterson served in Egypt and was on the Transylvania which sunk on 4th May 1917. I cannot ascertain whether the ship was returning to the UK or going to Egypt. He ended up in France where he was injured with shrapnel wounds to his back and right leg. This happened during the closing days of the conflict. He convalesced at Prees Heath and was discharged from the service on 19th August 1919 as a member of the Loyal North Lancs, having served during the war with Kings Liverpool. His grandsons have asked about his involvement in the conflict, but he, during his lifetime, never spoke of his experiences.
Pte. James Watton
British Army 10th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
from:Coleraine
(d.7th Dec 1917)
James Watton was killed at Cambrai towards the end of 1917, aged 44, not 45 as stated elsewhere. He had huge misfortune in his life. His mother Maryann died in the 1890s (aged 40). His wife, Eliza, gave birth to about four children, none of whom survived infancy, and then Eliza herself died, aged 25. James's brother John (from Killowen Street, Coleraine) also took part in the Great War and lived to tell the tale.
Second Lieutenant Stanley Victor Watton
British Army 3rd/7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment
(d.27th Aug 1916)
It started back in 2001 when i was on holiday with the ex wife and outlaws in france, when we stumbled upon a first world war cemetary at Etaples. we spent about 10 - 15 mins or so looking round, as i turned to walk back through the cemetary i caught sight of a grave stone with the name and rank of a Second Lieutenant Stanley Victor Watton, South Lancashire Regt, 27th Aug 1916. Since that day i have often wondered if 2nd Lt S.V. Watton was any kind of relation to myself/family. I know my grandad (dads dad) fought during the Great War but have been wondering for the last 7 years if Stanley was a lost member of the family?????. I know that his parents were called John and Clara, from Lancashire but thats it. Is there anybody out there who might be able to shed light on the matter as my family are in the dark. Thanks for any time and effort.
Watts
British Army 517th Field Company Royal Engineers
from:Watford
Charles H. Watts
Royal Navy HMS Fearless
My Great Uncle Charles Watts served on HMS Fearless. I don't know my Great Uncle Charles' story so if anyone can fill me in, from seeing this picture, I'd be grateful.
Cpl. Charles Watts
British Army 1st Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Northallerton
(d.9th Apr 1918)
Ernest Watts
British Army 9th Btn Queen Victoria's Rifles
from:Warboys Hunts
(d.9th Sep 1916)
Rfm. G. H. W. Watts
British Army 1/17th Btn. London Regiment
from:4, Montague Rd., Leytonstone, London.
(d.7th Jul 1917)
Ord.Sea. George Thomas Watts
Royal Navy HMS Anchusa
from:Exeter
(d.19th July 1918)
George Watts was killed in action on HMS Anchusa on 19th of July 1918. R I P
Gnr. Harold "Ted" Watts
British Army 4th Div. Ammunition Column Royal Field Artillery
from:Biggin Hill, Kent
(d.28th Apr 1917)
Harold Watts was my great-uncle. He joined up under his middle name as he was under-age. His correct name was Edmund Harold Watts, known to the family as Ted, and to his mates as Harry. He joined the Royal Field Artillery at Woolwich, and died of wounds, aged 17 at the 48 Field Ambulance in France. He is buried in the Cabaret Rouge cemetery. He is named on the Biggin Hill war memorial as H.Watts. Some soil from the gardens of the men was placed under the memorial.
Pte. Henry Watts
British Army 1st Btn. West Surrey Regiment (Queens)
from:Acton Vale, London
(d.31st October 1914)
Henry Watts was born in 1891 and lived with his parents James and Rose Watts, four sisters and a brother, at Wrights Cottage, Acton Vale, London. His father was a labourer at a brickmakers. At some point his parents moved to Canada and were living in Richmond Street, Thorold Park, Thorold, Ontario, Canada.
He served with the 1st Battalion, West Surrey Regiment (Queens). He was killed in action on the 31 October 1914 aged 25 years during the Battle of Ypres. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium. He is also remembered on the War Memorial, St Mary's Church, Acton, London.
Gnr. Herbert Clement Watts
British Army 4th Reserve Brigade Royal Field Artillery
from:Wardington, Oxfordshire.
(d.23rd Jul 1917)
Herbert Watts was born in 1885, the first child of four in the family of Clement Watts and Fanny Rollins. He lived in Wardington with his parents and siblings. The village was home to many Watts, all related somewhere along the line which goes back to the 1700's. Herbert did apply for exemption in 1916 but his application was turned down.
He joined the Royal Horse Artillery and then the Royal Field Artillery, 4th Reserve Brigade. He died from the wounds he acquired on the battlefield and is buried in the Mendinghem Military Cemetery in Belgium.
Spr. Jack Watts
British Army 91st Field Coy. Royal Engineers
from:Derby
(d.25th Sep 1915)
The Story of Jack Watts, a Boy Soldier (written for my three grandsons, Jack and Sam who live in Melbourne, and Luke who lives in Wellington). Way back in September 1898, a boy was born in Derby, England and he was called Jack Watts. He was the second son of George and Mary Watts (my grandparents) and an older brother to my mother Edie Watts. Jack lived with his parents, brothers, and sisters at 37 Fleet St. in Derby, England. Jack's mother died in 1922, and although she was only 16 my mother had to look after the family. In 1933 when she married Sam Tailby, they also lived at 37 Fleet St. I too lived at 37 Fleet St for 4 years from 1937 but moved with my parents and Grandfather to Spondon, in 1941. In 1912, Jack Watts left school at age 14 and worked as an apprentice in No. 8 shop at the locomotive works in Derby. The locomotive works which was then part of the Midland Railway built and repaired steam locomotives. His father, George, also worked there as a brass turner so must have arranged for Jack to start. By coincidence I also worked there, as an engineering apprentice between 1953 and 1958, including 18 months in No. 8 shop, but I was almost 16 when I started and 18 when I first went into No. 8 shop. It must have been a very daunting place for a 14 year old boy to start work. No. 8 shop (also known as the Erecting Shop) was where the locomotives came in to be repaired after they had been in service for some years. First all the parts were removed, cleaned and where possible reused. Other parts were repaired and where this was not possible new parts used. Most of this work was done in other shops within the works and then the parts were returned to No. 8 shop where the locos were rebuilt. There would have been about 600 people working in No. 8 shop including about 50 apprentices. This was much the same as when I was there except now the locos were larger. Jack would have started work at 7 am and worked until 5.30 pm, with an hour break for lunch on week days, and on Saturday morning worked from 8am until 12. He would have walked to and from work. The work was noisy and often dirty so he would not have been very clean when he got home. No showers at home in those days, only a tin bath in front of the fire. The water had to be heated in kettles. There were 5 other members of the family who also needed a bath when Jack lived there.
In August 1914, when Jack would have been 15, almost 16, World War 1 between Great Britain, allied with France, and Germany started. This lasted for 4 years. For some reason that I don't understand and have not been able to find out, Jack and probably some of his friends decided they wanted to join the army. Jack possibly thought it would be a good adventure or maybe to get away from his work at No. 8 shop, but he and his friends certainly did not know what would happen to them. For him and many other boys, joining the army was all wrong as the minimum age was 18 and the recruiting people must have known they were too young. Recruiting officers got 2 shillings and 6 pence for each recruit (equivalent to 25 cents today and a week's wages for an apprentice then). So Jack joined the army, did some basic training and then joined the 91st Field Company of the Royal Engineers as a Sapper. Field Companies generally helped the infantry regiments by building roads, railways, and trenches, but they were also expected to fight with rifles if necessary. Field Companies usually had 220 soldiers of which 5 were officers, 25 were NCOs, 140 were Sappers and the rest were various specialists usually involved with horses, as they had few trucks or cars at the beginning of the war.
In July 1915, when he was still only 16, Jack and the 91st Field Company were sent over to France, where they became part of the 15th (Scottish) Division and went to a place called Loos, a small town in northern France near the border with Belgium. On 25th of September 1915, after a long bombardment by British heavy guns, what became known as the 1st Battle of Loos started with an advance by British infantry divisions. Like many others later in the war, the advance did not get very far. We do not know what happened except that Jack was killed (along with thousands of others). Worse still, his body was never found. Many of the soldiers killed in WW1 were buried in France, but Jack does not have a grave. His name is on a big memorial near the town of Loos. So ends the story of a young boy called Jack who wanted to be a soldier. Had he lived, I would have called him Uncle Jack and could possibly have worked with him in No. 8 when I was completing my apprenticeship. Reports produced after the war suggest that some 250,000 Boy Soldiers served with the allied forces during WW1, so Jack Watts was not alone. How many died is not recorded. Later on in WW1, many soldiers from Australia and New Zealand went over to Europe to help the British and French soldiers fight against the Germans. They were known as ANZACs, and the Germans thought they were some of the best soldiers they encountered.
Jack Watts' Medals. These were awarded to Jack and presented to his father in 1922. Left to right: The 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal. They were presented to many thousands of British troops after the War but were of little consolation to the parents of the soldiers/boys killed in action. I can remember seeing these when I was a boy but don't know what happened to them.
This short story was written with assistance from: Richard Clarke, Roy Branson, Dave Harris all of Derby, and Gary Park of Tauranga, New Zealand. .
Pte. James Charles Watts
British Army 5th Btn Yorkshire Regiment
from:Beverley
(d.27th Feb 1916)
James Charles Watts enlisted in Beverley and served in the Yorkshire Regiment, 5th Battalion. James was killed on the 27th of February 1916 and is buried in Maple Copse Cemetery Belgium.
James Charles Watts was born in 1875 in Aldershot to an Army family and went on to be one of fourteen children, several who joined the services. Census records show him to move from Aldershot to Beverley via Sheffield. He married Rosa Butters in 1903 in Beverley and had two children, Charles and Wilfred. He had served in the East Yorks Regiment from 1891 to 1908 and then worked in a local tannery. Judging by his low Battalion number he must have been in the local Territorials some time before the War started.
The Battalion Diary records that they were in the trenches in Sanctuary Wood, East of Ypres, at the time of his death, but a family story says that he was a devout Catholic and was trying to "recover" a cross from a church when he lost his life.
Pte. James Howard Watts
British Army 3rd Btn. Worcestershire Regiment
from:26 Sandys Road, Worcester
Jim Watts was my uncle. I know he served at Gheluvelt with the 2nd Worcester Regiment, after that he was in the 3rd Worcesters, but I am not sure where they fought. He was badly injured in the fighting and lost both legs and also had shrapnel in the brain (this is what eventually killed him after it moved). He died 13th November 1948 of his wounds.
Rflmn. James Albert Watts
16th Btn King's Royal Rifle Corps
(d.22nd April 1917)
Pte. James Watts
British Army 7th Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
from:Glasgow
My grandfather, James Watts, served in the 7th Scottish Rifles in Gallipoli and in the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. He was born in Glasgow in 1894 and he died in Leicester in 1944.
RQMS. John Levi Watts DSO.
Australian Imperial Force 1st Australian Tunnelling Company
from:Red Hill ,Brisbane, Queensland
Page 23 of 77
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