WATTERSON, Jack Wilson
| Service Number: | 24 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 August 1914, An original of Headquarters |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Euroa, Victoria, Australia, 10 July 1894 |
| Home Town: | Wyalong, Bland, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney High School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Station overseer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 7 May 1917, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Grevillers British Cemetery Plot IV, Row C, Grave 13, Grevillers British Cemetery, Grevillers, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Wyalong Soldiers Memorial Hall |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 24, 3rd Infantry Battalion, An original of Headquarters | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Driver, 24, 3rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Driver, 24, 3rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Sydney | |
| 7 May 1917: | Involvement Corporal, 24, 3rd Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 24 awm_unit: 3 Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-05-07 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Jack Wilson Watterson was one of the first Australians to enlist, during August 1914, and he left Australia with the HQ of the 3rd Battalion. He was wounded in action at Pozieres during 1916 before he was mortally wounded on the 4 May 1917 and died three days later.
His brother, 582 Serjt. Randal Watterson 30th Battalion AIF was killed in action at Fromelles 20 July 1916, aged 23. They were the only two sons of Stephen and Martha Watterson of Wyalong, NSW.
The Wyalong Advocate published the following article on 13 June 1917.
Heroes Fall. Corporal J. Watterson.
The painful duty devolved upon the Rev. H. H. Minington on Monday evening of informing Mr. and Mrs. S. Watterson that their son, Corporal Jack Watterson, had died of wounds at the 3rd Clearing Station, France, on May 7th. The circumstances are particularly sad, because it is just about a year ago that their eldest son, Sergeant Randal Watterson, was reported missing, all subsequent evidence indicating that he was amongst the fallen. Thus, the grief-stricken parents have suffered the overwhelming loss of their only two sons.
The late Corporal Watterson, who was 23 years of age, was amongst the first few who enlisted from this district almost immediately after the outbreak of war. He was engaged in looking after horses in Egypt for some time, but being anxious to get to the front, and, failing to obtain official sanction, he got away on a transport, and reached Gallipoli. The authorities sent him back to his former duties, but "Jack" was so determined to take his place in the front line, that he was eventually granted permission to do so, and he participated in the Gallipoli operations until the evacuation. He was with the first Australian forces which landed In France, and with the exception of a slight break through being wounded, he has been fighting there ever since. The deceased soldier hero spent the major portion of his life here, was held in very high esteem and respect, and universally regarded as one of the finest types of young men in the district.