Frank WATTS

WATTS, Frank

Service Number: 2576
Enlisted: 1 September 1914
Last Rank: Driver
Last Unit: Divisional Ammunition Column
Born: Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia, August 1891
Home Town: Wellington, Wellington, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Measles, Acute Bronchitis & Oedema of Lung, Military Hospital, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England, 22 May 1918
Cemetery: Sutton Veny (St. John) Churchyard, Wiltshire, England
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Wellington Cenotaph, Wellington Hall of Memory Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

1 Sep 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2576, Divisional Ammunition Column
18 Sep 1914: Involvement Driver, 2576, Divisional Ammunition Column, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: ''
18 Sep 1914: Embarked Driver, 2576, Divisional Ammunition Column, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney

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Biography contributed by Evan Evans

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 21st May……Frank Watts was born at Mudgee, NSW around 1891.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 1st September, 1914 as a 23 year old, single, Labourer.

Driver Frank Watts, Service number 2576, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Argyllshire (A8) on 18th September, 1914 with the Divisional Ammunition Column – No. 1 Section & disembarked at Egypt in December, 1914.

He embarked to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) from Alexandria on 21st March, 1916 & disembarked at Marseille, France on 27th March, 1916.

On 15th May, 1916 Driver Watts was transferred to 1st D.A.C. (Divisional Ammunition Column) in France.
Driver Watts was sent to Hospital while in France with VD on 26th January, 1917. He was discharged to duty at Etaples on 9th May, 1917 & joined A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) at Etaples from Hospital on the same day.

He was transferred to 1st Division A.F.A. (Australian Field Artillery) at Rouelles on 28th May, 1917 & joined his Unit from Hospital on 29th May, 1917.
On 27th August, 1917 Driver Watts reported sick. He was admitted to 37th Casualty Clearing Station with I.C.T. Legs on 31st August, 1917. He was transferred to 38th Ambulance Train on 1st September, 1917 & on 2nd September he was admitted to 5th General Hospital at Rouen. Driver Watts was transferred to England on 8th September, 1917 on Hospital Ship Grantully Castle with Eczema.

Driver Frank Watts was admitted to 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England on 9th September, 1917. He was transferred & admitted to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 1st October, 1917 & discharged on 2nd November, 1917.

He was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot on 2nd November, 1917 from 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford.

On 12th December, 1917 Driver Watts marched out of No. 2 Command Depot & marched in to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire on 16th December, 1917.

Driver Frank Watts was marched out from No. 3 Command Depot & marched in to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire on 16th February, 1918.

He was admitted to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford, Wiltshire on 9th March, 1918 & discharged on 13th March, 1918 to Convalescent Training Depot at Parkhouse.

On 26th April, 1918 Driver Watts was marched out from Parkhouse & marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on 27th April, 1918. He was medically classified as B1 A1 due to a sprained ankle (light duty only – 4 weeks).

He was sent to Group Clearing Hospital at Sutton Veny on 12th May, 1918 with Influenza then transferred & admitted to the Military Hospital at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on 15th May, 1918 with Measles.

Driver Frank Watts died at 1.10 pm on 21st May, 1918 at the Military Hospital, Sutton Veny of Measles, Acute Bronchitis & Oedema of Lung. Cause of death was verified by a Post Mortem.

He was buried in St. John the Evangelist Churchyard, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England where 140 other WW1 Australian War Graves & 2 Australian WW1 Nurses are laid to rest.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/t--y.html

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