William Harrington Edward Watson

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Northcote, Victoria
Death	14 Dec 1920, aged 57
Place of Death	South Fremantle
Age at Enlistment	49 years, 2 months
Description	5' 7½"(1.71m) tall; weight 143 lbs (64.9 kg); sallow complexion, blue eyes, steel grey hair; scar right forearm
Occupation	miner
Religion	Church of England
Address	Eighth avenue, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife Mrs Hannah Elizabeth Watson
Military Information
Reg Number	1198
Date of Enlistment	30 Nov 1915
Rank	Sapper
Unit/Formation	Mining Corps, No 3 Company
Date of Embarkation	20 Feb 1916 - 25 Apr 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A38 Ulysses
Date of Return	31 Aug 1916 - 10 Oct 1916
Ship Returned On	HMHS Marama
Fate	Returned to Australia (medical)
Monument	Armadale (West Armadale panel)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Married Hannah Elizabeth Tuck. Electoral Roll entries - 1906 a labourer at Cardup; 1909 farmer in Jandakot; 1910 at 1030 Boulder road, Hannans (by himself, Hannah remained at Jandakot); 1912 - 1915 back farming at Jandakot; 1917 at 51 Thomas street, South Fremantle.

War Service

Sent to Sydney and Broadmeadows in Victoria to train, and he embarked from Sydney for Egypt.

Entered France through Marseilles on 5 May 1916 and then by train to Hazebrouck arriving 8 May 1916. Reported ill on 7 May 1916, and spent 15 days with 12th Casualty Clearing Station in Hazebrouck from 8 May before being transferred by hospital train, and admitted to the 26th General Hospital Étaples on 25 May 1916 for a fortnight.

Evacuated to England on 10 Jun 1916 from Calais on HS Stad Antwerpen and admitted to Fort Pitt Hospital, Chatham. On 5 Jul 1916 he was released to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital Harefield before being admitted to Chatham Military Hospital on 12 Jul 1916. On 31 Jul 1916 he was released to No 2 Command Depot Weymouth for return to Australia.

Assessed at No 8 Australian General Hospital Fremantle between 10 and 12 Oct 1916, before being released to Details Camp to prepare for discharge.

Medical discharge granted on 16 Dec 1916 - dilated heart. Had suffered a heart attack in Sydney while running to fight a bush fire in camp, and another while in Broadmeadows.

"...Has returned incapacitated."

Father of Clarence Victor Watson

Post War

Following Bill's death Hannah relocated to 66 South street, South Fremantle till her death on 26 Nov 1932, aged 62.

Notes

Son Clarence Victor b. 1898 in Kalgoorlie, who married Winifred Mary Joslin in Fremantle 1932. Clarence died 13 Oct 1961 in Fremantle and Winifred on 15 Aug 1997 in Bentley. Daughter Ethel Sheraz b. 1901 in E Coolgardie district. She married Harold Percy Calley in 1927, and died 3 Mar 1972 in Bateman. Harold died 7 Oct 1954 in Inglewood.