Capt. Christopher Hugh Watts MC.. British Army Royal Army Medical Corps Chris Watts served with the Royal Army Medical Corps attached to 53rd Welsh.
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Edna Winifred Watts . Women's Land Army from Pinner, Middlesex Have recently heard that my mother, Edna Watts served as a Land Girl in Scotland in WW2. She died of cancer in early 1969 and would love to know if this is correct and if so would I be able to contact anyone who worked with her.
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WO. Edward Charles Watts . British Army 13th (Honourable Artillery Coy.) Regiment Royal Horse Artillery from Bighton, Hampshire (d.13th Apr 1945) Edward Watts died in an accident, I am led to believe it involved a falling tree from stories told by my grandparents.
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F/Lt. Ernest Hector Watts . Royal Air Force 608 sqd My father was Ernest Hector Watts from Scarborough. He was a member of the North Riding Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Airforce at Thornaby until 1957 - I have a pewter tankard of his inscribed: to Hector from the Officers & Aircrew March 1957. It also bears the squadron crest. He also flew in Burma towards the end of WWII but Im not sure in which squadron. He died in 1990.
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Second Cook Frederick Watts . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940)
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Cpl. Harry Walter Watts . Royal Air Force
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F/O Humphrey S Watts . RCAF. 426 Sqd. (d.5th Mar 1945)
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F/Lt. J. W. Watts . Royal Canadian Air Force 419 (Moose) Squadron J.W Watts flew with 419 Squadron based at Middleton St George near Darlington.
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Sgt. James Dowdney Watts DFM.. Royal Canadian Air Force 426 Squadron from Vancouver, BC James Watts is my grandfather who just passed away in June 2018. He served with 426 Squadron during WWII as a gunner on a Lancaster. He enlisted in his home town of Vancouver on the 6th of August 1941 and Trained at No.3 ITS (graduated 7th of November 1941), No. 10 EFTS (ceased training 25 November 1941), No.7 BGS (graduated 25th May 1942) and No.7 AOS (graduated 6th February 1942). He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal on the 6th of August 1943 as per London Gazette dated 17th of August 1943. He was invested with award by King George VI, on the 2nd of May 1944. His citation reads,
"In the capacity of rear gunner this airman has completed numerous sorties against many of the most heavily defended areas in Germany and enemy occupied territory. One night in April while mine laying his aircraft was heavily attacked by an anti-aircraft ship. Sergeant Watts returned the fire causing the ship to break off its attacks. Both in the air and on the ground this airman has displayed outstanding keenness and efficiency and has rendered valuable assistance to the gunnery leader in the training of new crew."
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Jonathan Watts . British Army Gdmn. from Llanelli My father, Jack Watts worked in the Obermassfeld hospital. He was captured at Dunkirk and a prisoner for two years.
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Joyce Watts . Land Army I lied about my age when I signed up to join the land army at the age of 15.
I did my training in Whimple, Devon. I was then drafted to a farm at Lapford.
I had to get up at 4.30 in the morning to milk the cows. In the winter my hands got chapped and very painful when I milked the cows. It was all so primitive to me on the farm. I came from London and our house had all the modern convieniances. On this farm I had a candle for a light in my bedroom, the loo was outside and water was obtained from a pump. Despite all this, I must say, I had plenty to eat and the farmers wife was a good cook.
One day the superviser came to visit and I guess she realised how young I was because she arranged for me to go to a hostel near Plymouth.
I was sorry to leave in one way as I loved to work with the horses. I could write a lots more about other good things on the farm.
At the hostel I made friends with lots of girls. One girl, Olga, became a very good friend. We remainded friends and communicated untill her death in 1999.
The Land army days were some of the best years of my life. Olga and I went back and stayed on a farm that we had worked on.
That farmer and his wife have since passed away. Maybe the reason I have out lived them is because I was so young when I was working there.
I guess time is marching on but we still have our memories of the good times that we had.
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Margaret Anne Watts . Women's Land Army from Liverpool My mum, Margaret Watts, was in the Land Army in Wales, we think in Pembrokeshire. Sadly mum passed away in 2012. She enjoyed her time in the Land Army. She used to talk about the farmhouse, the farmer's wife and going to dances. We would love to know where exactly she was as we can't remember the name of the village. We would love to hear from anyone who may remember her. She was from Liverpool.
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P/O. Richard Herbert Watts . Royal Australian Air Force 626 Sqdn. from Toowoomba, Queensland (d.4th May 1944) Richard Watts is my mother's brother, my uncle Dick, who served with the RAAF in 626 Squadron during WWII.
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Rita Katherine Watts . Womens Land Army I am writing for my mum, who served in the WLA.She would love to know if any of her old pals are still with us. She was stationed at Lee on Solent, Hampshire, at Privet farm and Chester lodge. She is 86 and very proud of her new medal. She is in good health and is making a trip to Australia Oct 08. Her maiden name was Rita Watts, she would be very interested in any information regarding any land girls in the Lee on Solent area.
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Robin Watts . Royal Canadian Air Force Robin Adair from West Bothwell, Ontario served with the RCAF possibly at RAF Kemble? He was demobbed in July 1945.
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SCA Watts . British Army SCA 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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SH Watts . British Army Gloucestershire Regiment SH Watts served with the Gloucestershire Regiment 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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Tel. Stanley William James Watts . Royal Navy HMS Pandora (d.1st Apr 1942) My Grandfather was one of the of crew members that died on the Pandora sub on april 1st 1942. He was Stanley William James Watts. Telegraphist. port division: Chatham.
He was married to Florence Lince (Watts) and came from Norwich, Norfolk, England. He was the father of Peter,Margret, and Joyce Watts.
If anyone has pictures of their family with crew members of the sub I would love to see if my grandfather is in with them. Thanks.
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Telegraphist Stanley William James Watts . Royal Navy H.M. Submarine Pandora from Norwhich, Norfolk (d.1st April 1942) My Grand father was on the HMS Pandora when it was hit in Valetta dockyards unloading supplies. He was the telegraphist on the Pandora. He was supposed to have leave that day but another crewman wanted leave as well and they traded the time off. He was onboard when it was hit. His name was Stanley William James Watts service number C/J 80287
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W G Watts . British Army W 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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Sgt. Wilfred Charles Watts . British Army 4th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment Royal Army Service Corps 43rd Wessex from Enfield My father, Wilfred Watts served with the 4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment and 43rd Wessex Coy. Royal Army Service Corps. I am researching his war history.
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Flt.Sgt. William Denzil "Taffy" Watts . Royal Air Force 266 Squadron from Fishguard I was captured by the Germans in January 1943 and taken to interrogation at Frankfurt and then to Stalag VIIIB. Resident of Barrack 17d RAF Compound.
Anyone who was resident in the same barrack, please contact me.
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Pte. Edwin Waugh . British Army 1st Btn. Royal Sussex Rgt. My father was a private with either A or B Coy 1st Btn Royal Sussex Regiment and was evacuated from Tobruk.
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Pilot Officer Harry "Billy" Waugh . Royal Air Force 21 OTU from Leeds (d.4th Feb 1942) I am researching my great Uncle P/O Harry Waugh. I believe he was also Known as Billy. The details I have are that the Wellington he was in crashed on takeoff at RAF Moreton-in-marsh on 4th February 1942, on a night flying exercise. The plane was Wellington ic serial L7893. His crew comprised of
- P/O 107518 Joseph Henry Kirk
- W/O gunner Sgt Wilfred Joseph Howson
- W/O gunner Sgt Robert Marshall
2 crew members survived the crash Sgt W.A.J.Brock RAAF, and one other not named. I would very much appreciate any information anyone can give regarding the crash itself or any details about my great uncle and his service within the RAF.
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Able Sea. James Grey Waugh . Royal Navy HMS Formidable from Glasgow
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F/L K. R. Waugh . 97 Squadron
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F/Lt. Kenneth Robert Waugh . Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 97 Squadron from London (d.25th Apr 1944) Flight-Lt Kenneth R. Waugh of 97 Squadron was the skipper of Lancaster ND500G (OF-G) which was hit by flak, still with 103 incendiaries on board, near Munich at approximately 1.40 a.m. on April 25th 1944. Kenneth R. Waugh is my only uncle, whom of course I never met.
Kenneth, his 19 year-old Engineer Sergeant G.C. Munton, 24 year-old Navigator Flight-Officer R.C. Wickens, 22 year old Gunner Sergeant H. Stewart, 22 year-old Radio Operator Sgt W.E. Alexander and 37 year-old Gunner Flight-Officer R.D. Carter. Bomb-Aimer Flight-Officer G.H. Tulloch was the only one able to bail out and survive, to be interned in Stalagluft 3 until the end of the war.
In the few records I've found on the web, Ken is identified as an "American" from Virginia, or some sort of colonial as it were, from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Ken was in fact born in Sao Paulo in 1919, the eldest son of the English-born Governor of The Bank of London and South America, Norman Frederick Waugh and his American-born wife Bessie, of Morgantown, West Virginia, hence the confusion. Ken enjoyed a very privileged and exotic childhood as did his 11-months younger brother Richard, in Brazil, and a far less exotic but still privileged education at Blundells Boy's School in Devon as did his younger brother. When Britain declared it was at war Ken and Richard both volunteered for the RAF to become pilots. Less than perfect vision kept Richard out of a pilot's seat so he had to settle for ground operations, but Ken was deemed fit for pilot training.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to find anything about Ken's early RAFVR record and just as unfortunately I have not been able to find out anything about the crew members of ND-500 G beyond their names but I have learned some of the arc of Ken's wartime life. Having joined-up at the outbreak of war with no flying experience at all I assume Ken would have spent his first couple of years in basic military training, officer training and flight training with the full course of flight training being frequently interrupted by bad weather and general wartime interruptions.
In 1942 Ken was assigned to take part in the Arnold Scheme in the US which provided Britain the means to train pilots and crews in the wide-open balmy skies of the US without interference from Luftwaffe harassment. Ken was placed in Class SE-42-C the third inducted class of 1942 in the American South East, assigned to Lakeland Florida in a training course run by the USAAC (later to become the USAAF). As a result of the American management of the program at Lakeland, Ken earned USAAC wings despite being in the RAFVR, but having done so he was retained as a 'check pilot' for ensuing classes of British pilot and aircrew cadets.
Ken also earned the love of a gorgeous local girl, Jean Ridgely. They married in Florida and when Ken was finally ordered back to England in late 1943, Jean followed Ken across the Atlantic in the US Coast Guard cutter Tamaroa and upon arrival in England, joined the WAAF.
Again I've discovered nothing of Ken's activities at this time. I can only assume he was engaged in some conversion training. From his time as an Arnold Scheme cadet and then check-pilot/instructor he must have accumulated 1,000 hours or more of flight time, but given that the Path Finder Force tended to recruit from exemplary combat-experienced personnel, I wonder if Ken had served with some other active squadron before joining or being acquired by 97 Squadron.
When the crew of ND500G was shot down on the Munich raid of April 24/25 1944, Ken's wife Jean had just learned that she was pregnant. Jean was discharged from the WAAF because of her condtion but stayed in Lonodon until after VE Day, whereupon she returned to the US with her infant daughter named Barbara. Shortly thereafter Jean met and married an American, Paul Hardaker.
Like thousands of others Ken didn't earn any distinctions of skill, fortitude or heroism, which rather highlights how heroic those who did earn such distinctions were, and perversely, perhaps, how heroic too were those whose acts and experiences did not single them out, such were the high standards set by all during that war.
Ken's younger brother Richard (my father) once took a ride, against regulations, in the dickey seat of a Wellington on an 'Op' and recounted to me that he'd never been so scared in his life, a change of trousers was apropos, as he put it. Richard survived the war, initially serving in England, then North Africa, Italy, France and Germany.
As frustrated as I am at having found so little about my uncle's wartime career, I am equally frustrated that I have found out even less about the crew of ND-500G. On the other hand, I am grateful that there are others whose lives and contributions have been have been sufficiently well documented and preserved to serve as representatives of those who otherwise appear as footnotes or mere statistics in the extraordinary events of WWII. May they all be remembered.
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L Waugh . British Army L Waugh 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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Lt. William Grant "Joey" Waugh . British Army B Squadron 10th Royal Hussars from Sunderland (d.21st April 1945)
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F/Sgt William A Way . RCAF. 426 Sqd. (d.5th Mar 1945)
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