WATSON, Arthur James
| Service Number: | 1312 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 March 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 37th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | West Ham, London, United Kingdom, July 1893 |
| Home Town: | Wedderburn, Loddon, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Uraemia, Monte Video Camp Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, England, United Kingdom, 18 July 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
West Ham Cemetery, London, England Memorial Reference: B. 36. N.E., West Ham Cemetery, West Ham, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1312, 37th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 1312, 37th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: '' | |
| 3 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 1312, 37th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Persic, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography 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 – 18th July ....Arthur James Watson was born at Stratford, London, England in 1893.
According to information supplied by his mother for the Roll of Honour – Arthur James Watson came to Australia when he was 19 years old.
The 1914 & 1916 Australian Electoral Rolls for the division of Grampians, subdivision of Wedderburn, Victoria recorded Arthur James Watson, Farm Labourer of Wychitella.
Arthur James Watson enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 3rd March, 1916 as a 23 year old, single, Labourer. He embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Persic (A34) on 3rd June, 1916 with the 10th Infantry Brigade, 37th Infantry Battalion “D” Company & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 25th July, 1916 where he would receive further training before being sent to the War Front.
Private Watson was Absent without Leave from Larkhill, Wiltshire from midnight on 3rd September, 1916 until 4 pm on 8th September, 1916. He was awarded 14 days confined to Barracks & forfeited 5 days’ pay.
Private Watson proceeded overseas to France, via Southampton on 22nd November, 1916. He was admitted to Field Ambulance on 6th January, 1917 with Corneal Opacity & rejoined 37th Battalion on 10th January, 1917.
Private Watson was admitted to Field Ambulance on 19th March, 1917 with Corneal Opacity. He was transferred to D.R.S. (Divisional Rest Station) on 19th March, 1917 then discharged to Base on 26th March, 1917.
Private Watson was transferred to England on 4th May, 1917 & was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, England on 4th May, 1917.
A Medical Report was completed on Private Watson on 5th May, 1917. His disability was listed as Defective Vision which originated prior to enlistment – “has always had weakness of R. eye. States got worse in France.” The Medical Board found that Private Watson was permanently unfit for General Service and fit for Home Service.
On 8th September, 1917 Colonel Gordon found that Private Arthur James Watson was permanently unfit for General & Home Service.
[Note: There is no record in the Service Record File of Private Arthur James Watson from last entry in September, 1917 until the next entry on 5th July, 1918]
Private Arthur James Watson was admitted to Camp Hospital at Weymouth, Dorset, England on 5th July, 1918 with Pleurisy – seriously ill.
Private Arthur James Watson died at 8.30 am on 18th July, 1918 at Ward 41, Monte Video Camp Hospital, A Sub-Depot, No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, Dorset, England from Uraemia. He was buried in West Ham Cemetery, Forest Gate, London, England.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/west-ham.html
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