WATSON, Joseph William
| Service Number: | 716 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 February 1915, An original member of B Company |
| Last Rank: | Company Sergeant Major |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hamilton, Tasmania, Australia, 9 November 1888 |
| Home Town: | Queenstown, West Coast, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Belgium, 21 September 1917, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: |
The Huts Cemetery, Dickebusch, Belgium Plot V, Row B, Grave No 18. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Feb 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Corporal, 716, 17th Infantry Battalion, An original member of B Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 May 1915: | Involvement Corporal, 716, 17th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 12 May 1915: | Embarked Corporal, 716, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney | |
| 2 Sep 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Company Sergeant Major, 17th Infantry Battalion | |
| 21 Sep 1917: | Involvement 716, 17th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 716 awm_unit: 17th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Company Sergeant Major awm_died_date: 1917-09-21 |
Help us honour Joseph William Watson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Joseph William Watson had grown up in Queenstown, Tasmania, and was reported to be a fine young soldier and a good rifle shot. Previous to his going on service he took a keen interest in military work and was a vigorous member of the militia company at Queenstown. He enlisted during August 1914, and went to New Guinea as a member of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force. He returned to Sydney in early 1915 and within weeks enlisted in the 17th Battalion as a Corporal.
He landed on Gallipoli during August 1915 and was promoted to Sergeant. During the fighting in France in 1916 he was promoted to the prestigious rank of Company Sergeant Major.
He was mortally wounded on the opening day of the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge in Belgium and died of his wounds the next day.
His younger brother, 143 Pte. Wallace Frederick Watson 12th Battalion AIF, had also died of wounds at sea off Gallipoli on 26 June 1915, aged 21.
They were the sons of William and Ada Mary Watson of Queenstown, Tasmania.