WATTS, William Thomas
| Service Number: | 15423 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 June 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | RAAF Personnel / Embarkation / Holding Units |
| Born: | Forbes, New South Wales, Australia, 29 October 1920 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Parramatta Commercial High School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Motor Body Builder/ Shop boy, New South Wales Government Railway's Work Shop |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia, 25 October 2003, aged 82 years |
| Cemetery: |
Palmdale Lawn Cemetery & Memorial Park, NSW Burial reference: - Rose Garden 29D, Site 5. |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 2 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Corporal, 15423, RAAF Personnel / Embarkation / Holding Units | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Dec 1945: | Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Corporal, 15423, RAAF Personnel / Embarkation / Holding Units |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Dianne Black
Parents: - Thomas Watts and Grace Annie Dowley married 1915 in Forbes, New South Wales.
William enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at Parramatta on the 2nd June 1940. He was residing in Church Street, Parramatta at the time of enlistment. He listed his father Thomas Watts as next of kin. William was trained as a Fitter by the RAAF; he received this engineering training at the No. 1 Engineering School Royal Australian Air Force Showgrounds in Ascot Vale NSW, allocated RAAF service number 15423. Prior to his enlistment William was working at the Locomotive Workshops in Eveleigh for the NSW Department of Railways.
Having undertaken a junior non commission officer training course, William was promoted to Corporal on the 1st August 1943. He was transferred to the No. 1 Air Observer School in Cootamundra, New South Wales on the 3rd September 1941. He was transferred again on the 1st of August 1943 to the No. 76 Kittyhawk Squadron RAAF. It was with the No. 76 Squadron that he took part in the Allied operations in the Admiralty Islands around New Guinea in 1944.The 76th Squadron along with the 77 and 79 Squadrons were selected to garrison the Japanese occupied Admiralty Islands for 90 days from February 1944 as part of a campaign known as the Admiralty Islands campaign, which resulted in an Allied victory on the 18 May 1944.
Corporal Watts was posted at the RAAF 2 Personnel Training Depot at Bradfield Park New South Wales, when discharging on the 11th December 1945. For his RAAF military service, he was awarded, the War Medal 1939-1945 and the Pacific Star for British and Commonwealth personnel who served in the Pacific between 8th December 1941 and 2nd September 1945.
William married Ruth Verlie Briscombe, 1945 in Sydney, post World War Two, he worked as a boilermaker’s assistant, and finally as a plumber.
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