WATSON, Stafford Brierley
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 September 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Burwood, New South Wales, Australia, 3 May 1887 |
| Home Town: | Burwood, Burwood, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Grammar School |
| Occupation: | Clerk/Assistant accountant |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 10 April 1917, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
Bapaume Australian Cemetery Row A, Grave 5 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Sydney Grammar School WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Sep 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal | |
| 1 Oct 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant | |
| 16 Oct 1915: | Transferred AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2nd Depot Battalion | |
| 16 Mar 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant | |
| 22 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Aug 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wiltshire, Sydney | |
| 9 Apr 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Shell wound (fractured skull) | |
| 10 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 2 Battalion awm_rank: Second Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-04-10 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Stafford Brierley WATSON was born on 3rd May, 1887 in Burwood, Sydney, NSW
His parents were John Burnet WATSON and Emily Jane BRIERLEY who married in 1882
He spent 3 months in the Military Instruction School, 12 months in the Athletic Sports Rifle Club, 4 months AIEF at Holdsworthy & Liverpool as Acting Sergeant 16.10.15, 1 month at School of Instruction & 1 month in Depot School Instruction
He enlisted on 22nd September, 1915 in Liverpool NSW & joined up with the 2nd Battalion on 16th March, 1916 and embarked with the 2nd Battalion, 19th Reinforcements from Sydney on 22nd August, 1916 on HMAT Wiltshire.
After further training in England he joined the battalion in France where he was wounded in an attack on the German Hindenburg Line.
Stafford died of his wounds (gun shot wounds & fractured skull) at the 3rd Casualty clearing station in France on 10th April, 1917 and is buried in the Bapaume Australian Cemetery in France. The inscription on his headstone reads:
"IN LOYALTY TO HIS KING, COUNTRY AND HOME
HIS LIFE WAS NOBLY GIVEN"
His name is memorialised on the Australian War Memorial & he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
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OBITUARY - Sydney Morning Herald, 24th April, 1917 page 8
DIED OF WOUNDS
LIEUTENANT B. WATSON
The death occurred on April 10 as a result of gunshot wounds received in action, of Lieutenant Stafford B Watson, son of Mr. JB Watson of the Sydney Harbour Trust. Formerly the deceased was for some years in the service of the Eastern & Australian SS Company, also that of Dalgety & Co. Ltd and latterly he was with the Permanent Trustee Company. He left for England in August last with reinforcements and went to France only a few weeks back.
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