BORN HULL 1898. SON OF WILLIAM ROBERT WATTS & MARGARET ISABELLA COOOPLAND (1876-1903), OF 127, CAMPBELL STREET, HULL (1911 CENSUS) AND 10 HERBERTS TERRACE, SOUTH PARADE, HULL. SON OF A DOCK TUG MAN. HE HAD THREE BROTHERS AND ONE SISTER, LILY. HIS MOTHER DIED WHEN HE WAS 5 YEARS OLD. HIS FATHER RE-MARRIED AND ROBERT WAS RAISED BY HIS GRANDMOTHER, MRS ELIZABETH A. COOPLAND, OF 3, ANN’S TERRACE, PARROT STREET, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS).
HE ENLISTED IN HULL. FORMERLY, PRIVATE, 3014, 1/4TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. TRANSFERRED TO THE 1/5TH BORDER REGIMENT. KILLED IN ACTION, ON 21/03/1918, AGED 19. COMMEMORATED ON THE POZIERES MEMORIAL, TO THE MISSING, AT THS SOMME. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS GRANDMOTHER
HE IS LISTED ON ST MATTHEWS CHURCH, WW1 MEMORIAL, BOULEVARD, HULL
