| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
William Watson was born in Beverley in 1881 the son of Arthur and Deborah Watson. In 1901 aged 20 he was living in Flemingate and was employed as a grocer's assistant. In 1907 he married Annie Elizabeth Armstrong of Beverley. In 1911 William and Annie were living in Flemingate with their three year old son, Bernard, William was a grocer. Their second son, Ronald, was born in Jan 1914, by which time the family had moved to 92 Beaver Road
On 12 Sep 1914 William enlisted in the 5th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment and embarked for France on 18 Apr 1915, where the Battalion took part in the heavy and prolonged fighting in the Ypres sector. A brief report in the Beverley Guardian dated 26 Feb 1916, stated : "The Beverley Territorials were in the thick of the fighting at Ypres on Monday, 14th inst. and the following days, and sustained several casualties." William was one of those who were wounded at that time. He suffered a gunshot wound to his chest and was subsequently transferred to the Army Service Corps where he continued to serve to the end of the war.
In 1918 William and Annie had a daughter Marjorie, William was still a Soldier, by 1921 when Hendrika was born he was a labourer. The family continued to live in Beaver Road, by 1939 William was an oil mill general labourer. William and Annie lived to celebrate their Golden Wedding. William died in Oct 1959, aged 78.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |