WATTS, Norman Alfred Henry
| Service Number: | 2667 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 August 1916, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 41st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Rockhampton, Queensland, 9 June 1885 |
| Home Town: | Southport, Gold Coast, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | War service related illness, Brisbane, Queensland, 6 March 1924, aged 38 years |
| Cemetery: |
Toowong (Brisbane General) Cemetery, Queensland Grave Location: 10-33-18 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Aug 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2667, Brisbane, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Nov 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2667, 41st Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Nov 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2667, 41st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kyarra, Brisbane | |
| 24 Sep 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 41st Infantry Battalion | |
| 5 Oct 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2667, 41st Infantry Battalion, Broodseinde Ridge, Shell wound (right side and chest) | |
| 4 Jul 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2667, 41st Infantry Battalion |
Norman Alfred Henry Watts of Rockhampton
As a timely tribute to my great-uncle Norman Watts (my nana’s eldest brother) on this, the 100th
anniversary of his major battles as a soldier with the 41st Battalion A.I.F.; it was felt that his story
should at last be told (however brief for now) “This is for you, great-uncle Norm” - - - -
Norman Alfred Henry Watts was born at Rockhampton Queensland on the 9th June 1885 to
Withers Cazalette Watts (music teacher) and Violet Ingelby Watts (nee Blakesley).
As the grandson of a proud Tutu-Warrior Island woman and a Captain in the British Mercantile
Marines, it was sometimes said that Norman was cursed with a ‘no-nonsense, no-fear’ fighting
spirit. However, it’s believed that it was a far more personal reason that motivated him to enlist
with the Australian Imperial Forces at Southport Qld on the 12th August 1916; (more than likely,
the death of his young wife during child birth, just eight months earlier).
[The ‘Western Front’ – 24th September 1917:]
It was during the Battle of Menin Road, that some ‘action’ resulted in Private Watts being
promoted to rank of Lance Corporal. Not much more than a week further on, his Battalion, the
41st (“never lost a man as a prisoner”) was again involved in a successful major ‘push’ as part of
the 3rd Division in the Battle of Broodseinde; beginning on the 4
th October 1917.
During heavy fighting on the following day, LCPL Norman Watts received an almost fatal
shrapnel wound. It had punctured his right lung, but seemingly, he was ‘meant’ to survive. After
some six months recovering in England, Norman returned home to his family and lived long
enough to re-marry and father a healthy son. Sadly, his wound finally took its toll.
Lance Cpl. Norman Alfred Henry Watts 41st Battalion A.I.F. - passed away 6th March 1924.
It is intended to recover great-uncle Norman’s war medals one day, & tell his complete story.
(Raymond F. Nancarrow; on the 100th anniversary of my great-uncle’s ‘contribution’ to WW1)
Submitted 10 October 2017 by Hilda Maclean
Click images to start slideshow.