WATSON, Clarence Sinclair
| Service Number: | 3654 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 September 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 55th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Greigs Flat, New South Wales, Australia, October 1896 |
| Home Town: | Rockdale, Rockdale, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Kogarah and Sydney Technical High School, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Govt.Tramway employee |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 1 September 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, France Daours Communal Cemetry Extension Plot IV, Row F, Grave 9, Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, Daours, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Chippendale Substation Staff NSW Govt. Tramways Honour Roll, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Haymarket Substation Staff of NSW Government Tramways Roll of Honour, Sydney Technical High School WW1 Roll Of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3654, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3654, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney | |
| 1 Sep 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 3654, 55th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3654 awm_unit: 55th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-09-01 |
Help us honour Clarence Sinclair Watson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography
Clarence was the first born to Albert Edward Watson and Ada Serena Dunn in October 1896 at Greigs Flat near Pambula NSW. Along with his two siblings Sylvia Dulcie Muriel and Henry Lancer he grew up during the era of the Boer War. Following federation after the wars end Australia became a nation and laid the foundations for the Commonwealth Military Forces. Light horse regiments of militia volunteers were formed and Clarence, a government tramway employee in the electrical division, belonged to the 44th Battalion Aust. Light Horse.
After enlisting in the AIF on 9th September 1915 at Warwick Farm he became Private Watson 3654. Attached to the 17th. Infantry Battalion 8th. Reinforcement they departed Sydney aboard the HMAT Aeneas A60 on 20th December 1915 bound for France via Egypt . Upon arrival on 30 June 1916 his unit became the newly formed 55th battalion part of the 14th. Brigade 5th.Division. They were sent to the frontline trenches and fought their first major battle at Fromelles a week later resulting in heavy casualties. He was wounded in action (gunshot wound to leg) on 20th July 1916 and returned to England to convalesce before rejoining his unit on 23 September 1916. Shortly after receiving a promotion to lance sergeant, he was wounded again (gunshot wound left shoulder) on 2nd April 1917 and returned to England. After recovery he was assigned other duties before returning to the Western front on 30 May 1918. In the latter part of August 1918 the 14th. Brigade played a critical role in an offensive against the enemy that would eventually lead to the capture of Peronne on the 2nd. September.
The preceding morning at 0500 Clarence was badly wounded on the battlefield in an exchange of gunfire. Knocked unconscious, he was carried off to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station with shrapnel wounds to the thighs, abdomen and legs. At 3.15 pm on 1st September 1918 he was pronounced dead from wounds received in action on the outskirts of Peronne. The British War medal, Victory medal and the 1914/15 Star were awarded to him posthumously.
Clarence is buried at the Daours Communal Cemetry Extension (Plot 4 Row F Grave 9) in France beside his fallen comrades. There is a memorial to his name at panel161 in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.