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Sgt. Thomas Watson . British Army B Company 14 Platoon Border Regiment from Blyth, Northumberland (d.21st Sept 1944) My dad was Sgt Thomas Watson from Blyth, Northumbland. He served with the 1st Airbourne Divison in the Border Regiment. He was killed in action near Driel Ferry and was buried there on the 21/9/44. He was later reburied in Oosterbeek War Cemetery. I didn't know him as I was born Oct 44. If anyone has a photos of Border Regiment or knew him any info would be greatly received. Thank you.
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Dvr Thomas Watson . British Army Royal Army Service Corps from Sunderland
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Tom "Watty" Watson . British Army 8th Army
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V Watson . British Army Royal Armoured Corps V Watson served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Pte. Vernon Alexander "Tim" Watson . Australian Army 2/19th Australian Infantry Battalion from Tarcutta, NSW (d.10th July 1943) Vernon Watson died just after a Cholera epidemic in 1943 at Nieke Camp whilst a Japanese Prisoner of War on the notorious Burma-Siam Railway.
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VF Watson . British Army Lancashire Fusiliers VF Watson served with the Lancashire Fusiliers British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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William Watson . Air Raid Warden from Islington My grandfather was an air raid warden in Islington in 1940. His name was Bill Watson. Attached is a copy of a newspaper article from The Daily Mirror, 9th September 1940. "As bombs burst all around, the windows of the little house blew in and the roof collapsed,
a young air raid warden acted a midwife to a mother in the East London raids. A thirteen year old boy
acted as nurse. Without a light to see by, the warden, Bill Watson who is unmarried, brought the baby
girl into the world. The boy, Richard Hannaway ran to the nearest horse trough for water, which was boiled to
wash the baby in. The mother, dark haired Mrs R Foster lay on her bed surrounded by shattered glass as Warden Bill
attended her. At the same time a heavy bomb crashed across the road about eighty yards away and blew the roof from the
house. Now mother and child are both doing well and yesterday a few hours after the ordeal, Bill, who had had a wash
and a brush up, went along to visit them.Thirteen year old Richard was busy too, He was fetching and carrying buckets of water from
the nearby horse trough for neighbours."I have never done anything like this before" said Bill."
I would love to find out more about him but there is nobody alive in my family who would be able to give more information.
We know him as Bill Watson, though the family story from my father we only know that he was a "foreigner", possibly Jewish. He left Bristol with my grandmother before. For sometime she lived in Lewisham on her own at 20 Moreley Road, a place for single mothers and their babies. She returned about 1938 with a baby and my great grandmother brought my father up as her own.
The only leads we have is a newspaper cutting from The Daily Mirror dated September 9th 1940 stating that Bill Watson was an Air Raid Warden and "acted as a midwife" for a "dark haired" Mrs R. Foster, who gave birth during an air raid in the East of London. He safely delivered a little girl. The birth would have probably taken place on 8th of September 1940 and would have been registered in East London. There was also a 13-year-old boy who helped by the name of Richard Hannaway. However he doesn't appear to be related to anyone in the story.
We believe Bill Watson lived in East London approximately from about 1934/35 with an Iris Maud Lawrence, before leaving her with a baby.
Through some research we have found that he could possibly have lived at 34 Pigott Street, Limehouse, but this has not yet been confirmed.
If anyone does have any information, I would love to hear about him.
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William Leslie Edward "Ginge" Watson . Royal Navy (d.19.03 1979)
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William James Watson . Royal Air Force 353 Squadron from London
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WJ Watson . British Army Royal Armoured Corps WJ Watson served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Sgt D. S. Watson. . (d.15th Feb 1945) Sgt Watson was killed on 15/2/45 on Ops South of Zeland flying from RAF Elvington.
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F/Lt. Alastair Clarence Watt . Royal Canadian Air Force 103 Sqd. from Merrickville, Ontario, Canada (d.17th Mar 1945) Al Watt enlisted on the 17th of September, 1942 at Ottawa. He was posted 103 Squadron on November 25th 1944 and killed in action March 17th 1945. His hometown was Wolford Township, Ontario and from
1929 to 1938 he attended Merrickville Public School, from
1938 to 1940 Merrickville Continuation School. He then worked as a
Truck Driver and as a Commercial Traveler. In 1939 until 1942 he served with the Brockville Rifles as a Sgt. His height is listed as 5’ 5” and weight 145lbs. He then joined the RCAF.
Crew on first and last Operations:
- Sgt. J.F. Jim Jackson, Flight Engineer (RAF, 3040028) KIA 17-Mar-45
- F/Sgt. W.H. Bill Fetherston, Bomb Aimer(RCAF, R/190659) KIA 17-Mar-45
- F/Sgt. G.W. George Blackshaw, Navigator (RAF, 1620678) KIA 17-Mar-45
- F/Sgt. J.S. Stan Hickey, Wireless Operator (RAF, 1230658) KIA 17-Mar-45
- F/Sgt. A.C. Bellisle, Mid-Upper Gunner (RCAF, R/271059) POW 18-Mar-45 (Stalag 5a)
- F/Sgt. A.E. Al Wotherspoon, Rear Gunner (RCAF, R/192267) KIA 17-Mar-45
Last Mission of NN758:
NN758 departed Elsham Wolds at 17:15 as one of 15 aircraft headed for Nuremburg. All took off in good weather and on arrival in the target area it was found to be quite clear. All machines carried window (chaff) and cameras and the bomb load was:
1 x 4000lb High Capacity,
9 x 140 x 4lb Incendiary and
1 X Monroe (leaflets)
The Path Finder Force were right on time and the markers were well placed and concentrated, and all crews on the Master Bombers instructions, who was very clear and precise, bombed these with it is believed good results, as fires were observed. Defences consisted of a light flak barrage, with some searchlight activity but many fighters were seen and a large number of aircraft were seen to go down in the target area.
In addition to F/Lt Watt and crew, F/O Stepharnoff and F/O Armour and crews were also reported missing.
Crash:
It was reported that NN758 was observed to go down near the village of Laichingen around 2200 hours. Buergermeister Schwenkmezger stated that aircraft believed to be a Lancaster had crashed 3km north of the village of Laichingen at about 2200 hours on March 16 1945. The remains of six airmen were found and buried at the local cemetery. The grave digger Pfrang stated that 2 of the 6 were intact, 3 were terribly burned and the other had no legs. All were buried without coffins.
It was reported observed that an unexploded 4000lb bomb was 20 meters from the wreckage. There also appeared to be evidence of light flak hits on the starboard tailplane.
F/Sgt Bellisle bailed out and was captured the next day. He was held as a POW at Stalag 5a and returned to Canada on May 20th 1945.
Timeline:
March 16th 1945
1715 – NN758 Departs Elsham Wolds.
2130 – Estimated time at target (based on other A/C departing at same time).
2200 – Lancaster reported crashed at Laichingen.
Burial:
F/LT A.C. Watt, F/Sgt. A.E. Wotherspoon, F/Sgt. W.H. Fetherston, Sgt. J.F. Jackson, F/Sgt. G.W. Blackshaw, F/Sgt. J.S. Hickey were buried together by local Germans in the town of Laichingen with a cross inscribed in German "Here Lie Six Unknown British Airmen" . The Germans assumed the whole crew was British as the only identity discs found at the crash site was that of Sgt Jackson. The identity discs were turned over to the local Luftwaffe headquarters. The grave was exhumed post war by US investigators who believed the remains to be American. The remains were then reburied by the Germans. The grave site was visited by an RAF investigator (F/LT Mauldon) in May 1947 who reported "The grave was visited and found to be in most excellent condition with a stone border and many flowers."
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Fireman Donald MacPherson Watt . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar from Glasgow, Scotland (d.2nd Dec 1940)
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G Watt . British Army G Watt served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Fus. George Watt . British Army 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers from Belfast (d.6th Aug 1943) George Watt served with the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers
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Sgt. Hugh Watt MM.. British Army Royal Engineers from Aldershot My father Hugh Watt, Hugh Watt was captured at St Valery in Normandy about two weeks after Dunkirk in 1940. He was a prisoner in Stalag XXB for the remainder of the war, liberated in 1945 by U S forces. He kept a diary which describes his capture and march and transport into Poland. Much of the diary has been lost but the remainder is lodged in the Imperial War museum.
It would be interesting to discover more about the camp, prisoner conditions and activities, also any photos that may exist.
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Pte. James Watt . British Army 5th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers from Newcastle upon Tyne (d.7th Feb 1916)
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Lt. James Watt MC.. British Army 70th Btn. Royal Scots 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.
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ACW/2 Janet Muir Watt . Women's Auxiliary Air Force from Edinburgh I was stationed in Peterhead during WW2. I was the only WAAF in the squadron and my job was as an engineer on Spitfires. I remember it being very cold. I cycled from the airfield to the camp. From there I was posted to Turnhouse in Edinburgh.
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Margaret Anne Watt . Women,s Land Army from Liverpool My mother, Margaret Anne Watt, sadly passed on April 15th 2012. She loved her days in the Land Army. We are not totally sure of where she was posted in Wales and we would like to visit. We found her records and they say Pembrokeshire. Does anyone remember her or have photos, it would mean so much to us to hear from you. Thank you.
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Captain (Chaplain) Robert Watt . British Army 1st Dorsets from Helensburgh, Scotland My father, Rev Robert Watt was the Chaplain on D day to the 1st Dorsets landing on Gold Beach.
He was born in Helensburgh on 5th Jan 1917. He was a member of the Helenburgh Amateur Swimming Club which stood him in good stead when his landing craft was hit as it approached the beaches.
When asked later if there were any atheists aboard his landing craft he said certainly not on that day!
The funniest story Dad told me was when he went out to do a burial and he slipped and fell into the grave. His sergeant laughed and told him that he better get out and don't lose the Union flag!
Dad told me of another time when he "captured" some Germans. He was out on a burial patrol when he was suddenly surrounded by 40-50 Germans. Dad thought, "oh no that is me captured" He went up to the German officer but before he could surrender the German surrended his soldiers to Dad! The padre then marched them back to base!
Dad went on to be part of the team who liberated Brussels. He ended up in Luneburg. After Germany he served in India and in the early 50's in Malaya with the Cameronians. In 1952 he left the Army and was a Church of Scotland Parish Minister in Fife, then Perthshire and finally in Aberdeen. Dad died in Bannockburn Hospital on Boxing Day 2008.
As his son I am proud of him and all his fellow soldiers who helped liberate Europe on 6th June 1944. I was in the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service in the Cold War Years and I proudly wear my medal with those that Dad and others so gallantly earned all these years ago.
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PO. Robert Watt . Royal Navy HMS Nelson from Lerwick My late grandfather, Robert Watt, was a gunnery petty officer on HMS Nelson at the D-day landings in 1944 when it was damaged by a mine. He was still on board when the ship went to drydock in Philadelphia, USA and remained as part of the skeleton crew while it was repaired. To pass the time ashore he and some of the other crew members picked fruit on the local farms and had their photo printed in a newspaper there under the headline: "From the beaches to the peaches".
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WN Watt . British Army Gordon Highlanders WN Watt served with the Gordon Highlanders British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Albert "Boy" Wattam . Royal Navy HMS Grimsby from Ashby, Scunthorpe Albert was a strong swimmer and when the Grimsby went down off Tobruk.They were still under attack. His mate couldn't swim so Albert frogged him on his back a mile or so to shore with occasional rests during the swim where he taught his mate to float although still under fire.
On reaching the beach they hid in the dunes and fell asleep from exhaustion. On waking, the firing had stopped, Albert grinned and tried to wake his friend saying "We made it". Only to find no response and his mate was dead from exhaustion. This event affected Albert's entire life.
On return to Blighty, like many others, he received no help, He converted a bicycle to carry ice-cream for sale to survive. He moved to Kent then emigrated to Darwin, Australia. He lived his life at Humpty-doo 40 miles inland in the bush.
His paratrooper brother had a bullet in his head that was inoperable and he committed suicide in 1949. His brother Reg was in Egypt and suffered all his life from steatorhea.
As you can imagine Albert had a rough life, but was much loved.The only medal they gave him was a service medal. The only medal they gave him was a service medal. Like my RAF regiment father in Burma, unsung heroes forgotten by government.
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Dvr. Albert "Snowy" Wattam . British Army 20 Line Maintenance Section Royal Signals from Sheffield My grandfather Albert Wattam had his second stint in the Army during WW2, enlisting in the Royal Signals on the 12th of September 1940. He was posted to 3rd Indian Corps of Signals, as part of 11 Division.
He arrived in Singapore as part of 20 Line Maintenance on 5th of December 1941. He was taken prisoner at the Fall of Singapore and was in Changi Camp from 15th of February 1942 until 30th of March 1945, his POW No was I6430.
There is then a gap till 13th of May 1945 where he is recorded as being in Adam Road Camp, with a new POW No 11095.
He started repatriation 2nd of November 1945 arriving back in UK sometime in March 1946.
Any further information gratefully received.
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Pte. Willie Watters . British Army 305th Bty. 77th Field Regiment Royal Artillery from Greenock The stories of Willie Watters war are almost non-existent.
My Dad knew little as Willie didn't want to speak of his time in the military.
He had suffered at Dunkirk.
We sent away for his records and found out what little we could. Willie worked in the ship yards of Greenock after the war. He died in July 1980.
I'd like to find out more.
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Fl.Sgt. Arthur Henry Watts . Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 165 Sqdn. (d.2nd August 1945) Flight Sergeant Watts was killed when his Spitfire PL262 crashed into a river one mile east of Vaernes by Trondheim. He is buried in Vaernes Churchyard, Norway.
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CF Watts . British Army CF Watts served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Charles Stuart Watts . British Army Can anybody help me with any information about my step-father? His name was Charles Stuart Watts. I do not have his service number but remember him telling me that he was a dispatch rider in Italy during the 2nd World War.
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Cpl. Charles Reginald Watts . British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from Staveley, Derbyshire (d.3rd Dec 1943) Reg Watts was my Grandmothers brother. We believe that Reg never met a son who was born to his Irish girlfriend May Adams (from Belfast) as he died whilst she was pregnant.
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