BORN BURY, LANCASHIRE 1887. ONLY SON OF JAMES WATSON & SARAH FIRTH (1863-1918), OF, 18, AYLESFORD STREET, BOULEVARD, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). SON OF AN ENGINE FITTER. HE HAD TWO SISTERS, MARY ANN AND SARAH.
HE WAS WELL KNOWN IN BUSINESS CIRCLES AS AN ACCOUNTANT’S CLERK, BEING IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF WILKINSON ACCOUNTANTS, SCALE LANE, HULL.
HE ENLISTED IN THE “HULL COMMERCIALS”, AT THE OUTBREAK OF WAR AND SERVED IN EGYPT AND FRANCE, AS CORPORAL/10/485, 10TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. HE WAS WOUNDED ON THE 1ST JULY 1916 AND SPENT SOME MONTHS IN HOSPITALS IN ENGLAND RECOVERING. HE WAS COMMISSIONED INTO THE 1/4TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT, ON 31ST JULY 1917. GAZETTED TO THE WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT, ON THE 10TH SEPTEMBER 1917. HE WAS KILLED AT MOLENSARELSTOEK, TWO MONTHS LATER, ON 26/11/1917, AGED 31. BURIED AT DUHALLOW ADS CEMETERY, BELGIUM. HIS GRAVE READS, “NOT FORGOTTEN”
HE LEFT £182 IN HIS WILL TO HIS FATHER AT THIS PROBATE ADDRESS.
HE LEFT A BEREAVED FAMILY AT 18 AYLESFORD STREET, BOULEVARD. HE IS REMEMBERED ON ST MATTHEWS CHURCH ROH, BOULEVARD, HULL.
HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON THE 8TH DECEMBER 1917, WITH HIS PHOTOGRAPH. *
