Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Private William Frank Watterson (Service No:WX35609) initially enlisted in the ACMF (Private; Service No:W37568) on 8 December 1941 before enlisting 'in the field' in the AIF on 5 December 1942. Private Watterson served in Western Australian as a Map Maker with 4th Field Survey Coy, moving between Busselton and Derby. Private Watterson was Discharged on 27 November 1944.

Born in 1910 in Roelands, Harvey WA, Frank was fourth of seven children of John Gill Watterson (b1872 on the Isle of Man in Scotland) and Edith Marie Clow Miller (b1879 at Port Pirie, South Australia). John had left home at twelve years of age, working on saliling ships before settling in Western Australia in 1900. John (a Miner) and Edith married in Boulder, WA in 1901. By 1910 the couple had settled in Roelands, Harvey, WA where John was a Farmer. John served in WWI (Private; Service No:2961) and died in 1933. 

Frank had left school before he turned fourteen, and worked as a Farm Labourer and Milk Carter. During the Depression years he worked at a variety of jobs - farm work, fencing and windmill work on cattle stations north of Carnarvon, and in 1939 was a Carrier in Roelands when he married Edna Beryl Dawson (b1916 in Katanning, WA) - aka Beryl - a Teacher. During the war years, Beryl returned to teaching in Dumbleyung, and following his Discharge in 1944, Frank joined her, working on his father-in-law's wheat and sheep farm. In early 1948, Frank and Beryl moved to Kardardup WA where Frank was a Dairy Farmer. Retiring in 1975, Frank and Beryl moved to Augusta, where Frank continued his involvement in voluntary community service - including St John's Ambulance, Lions' Club, and Hospital Auxiliary. Frabk died in 2005 and Beryl in 2013.