Name
William Neville Watson
22/06/1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/08/1918
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
548135
London Regiment *1
15th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DAOURS COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Plot III, Row F, Grave 25.
France
Headstone Inscription
HE SAVED OTHERS HIMSELF HE COULD NOT SAVE
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance, Bushey Baptist Chapel Memorial, Congregational Church Memorial, Bushey, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Oxhey War Memorial
Pre War
Born in Winslow, Buckinghamshire on 22 June 1899, William Neville Watson was the younger son of Clement and Mary Ann (nee Spenser) Watson. His parents were married in the last quarter of 1894 in the registration district of Portsea Island, Portsmouth.
At the 1901 census, the family was living in Binley, Warwickshire. Clement and Mary were 29 and 33 years old respectively and Clement was employed as poultry manager. William was one year old and had a five-year-old brother named Clement. Birthplaces for the family were given as Padbury in Buckinghamshire for Clement (Snr.), Limehouse in London for Mary and Winslow in Buckinghamshire for both children.
Clement (Snr.) became a Freemason on 30 April 1910 when he was initiated into the Wilson-Iles Lodge in Bushey, Hertfordshire. He gave his profession as a journalist.
By the time of the 1911 census, the family had moved to 77 Upper Paddock Road in Oxhey, Watford. Clement (Snr.) was working from home as a journalist for poultry papers. Clement and William were aged 15 and 12 years respectively and they were both at school. William attended Watford Grammar School from September 1911 to March 1915. The census records that Clement and William were the only children of Clement and Mary.
Wartime Service
William Neville Watson enlisted in August 1917 at Whitehall in London, originally as Private 305870 in the 5th (City of London) Battalion of the London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade). He later transferred as Private 548135 with the 15th County of London Battalion (Prince of Wales Own Civil Service Rifles).
He served on the western front, arriving in France on 1 April 1918, and died on 26 August 1918 at No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station from wounds received in action. He was buried at Daours Communal Cemetery Extension (Plot III, Row F, Grave 25) and was entitled to the Victory and British War medals. There is a personal inscription on his headstone which reads: "HE SAVED OTHERS HIMSELF HE COULD NOT SAVE".
The Registers of Soldiers’ Effects named his mother, Mary, as the sole legate and recorded payments of £1 9s. 4d and £4 12s. 4d. and a War Gratuity of £3 10s.
There was an In Memoriam for William in the West Herts and Watford Observer, dated 17 May 1919, and he is also commemorated on the memorial at St Matthew’s Church.
William’s elder brother, Serjeant 201013 Clement Spencer Watson of the 2nd/3rd London Regiment, also died of wounds in 1917. He enlisted as Spenser Watson.
The England and Wales Register in 1939 recorded Clement (Snr.) and Mary still resident at 77 Upper Paddocks Road and Clement was still working as a Journalist (Poultry). Living with them were James Foot and Arthur Robson, who were both working as Junior Publishing Clerks.
Clement died, aged 69, in 1941 in Watford and was buried 10 April in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford.
Additional Information
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance entry reads: “WATSON, WILLIAM NEVILLE. School period: September, 1911, to March, 1915. Rifleman, Civil Service Rifles. Joined London Rifle Brigade in August, 1917; went to France and was there drafted to Civil Service Rifles; died of wounds, 26th August, 1918.”
His father, Mr. C. Watson, Paddock Road, Oxhey, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "HE SAVED OTHERS HIMSELF HE COULD NOT SAVE".
His brother Clement died 18 May 1917 and also features on Watford Borough Roll of Honour. His mother was awarded a Dependants Pension of 12/- a week for both sons. The value of his effect were £4-12s-4d, Pay Owing and £3-10s-0d, which went to his mother Mary Ann. Additional information provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London)
Bn. London Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own Civil Service Rifles).
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Andrew Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
