| Regimental number | 582 |
| Place of birth | Castlemaine, Victoria |
| School | Sydney High School, New South Wales |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Storekeeper |
| Address | Wyalong, New South Wales |
| Marital status | Married |
| Age at embarkation | 22 |
| Height | 5' 11" |
| Weight | 140 lbs |
| Next of kin | Wife, Mrs Florence Louise Watterson, 'Boundary Villa', Temora, New South Wales |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Rank on enlistment | Corporal |
| Unit name | 30th Battalion, C Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/47/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Sergeant |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 30th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles) |
| Age at death | 23 |
| Place of burial | Ration Farm Military Cemetery (Plot VI, Row K, Grave 35), La Chapelle d'Armentieres, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 117 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Stephen and Martha WATTERSON |
| Family/military connections | Brother: 24 Corporal Jack WATTERSON, 3rd Bn, killed in action, 7 May 1917; Brother-in-law: 538 Driver Bernard CARTWRIGHT, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, died of disease, 2 September 1915. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Sydney, 9 November 1915; Suez, 11 December 1915. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Posted missing in action, 20 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 23 July 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'. Statement, Red Cross File No 2880209, 1308 Pte W. GRAHAM, C Company, 30th Bn, 13 October 1916: 'He belonged to X. Pl. C. Co. and was killed at Fleurbaix, on 19th. July, in the charge ... A party was out 2 nights later looking for wounded and dead. Watterson's body could not be found.' Second statement, 730 Pte J. O'CONNOR, 30th Bn (patient, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England), 21 August 1916: 'Watterson was in the charge at Fleurbaix [and] was hit by Machine Gun fire[;] he fell and never moved, and was quite near me at the time.' Third statement, 148 Corporal W.A. DOWD, 30 November 1916: 'I last saw him on July 19th. about 7 p.m. at Fleurbaix in Nomansland (sic). I saw him throw up his arms and press his hand over his heart, and fall. Apparently he was killed by rifle bullet.' Fourth statement, 669 Pte S.R. GRANT, 30th Bn (patient, 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, England), 5 December 1916: 'Witness states that he saw the above man killed on July 20th. at Fleurbaix between the 1st and 2nd line of German trenches. He was hit just in front of witness, and the body was left where it fell, as they had to retire shortly afterwards.' Fifth statement, 1997 Pte C.H. CARVER, 30th Bn (patient, No 2 General Hospital [Casino]), undated: 'He ... was killed by a shell at Flemelle (sic) out in No Man's Land. I was present whe he was hit ... ' Sixth statement, 2431 Pte W. TRICKETT, C Company, 30th Bn (patient, Graylingwell Hospital, Chichester, England), 5 December 1916: 'Informant states that on July 19th 1916 at Fromelles Sgt. Watterson was killed by M.G. fire just in front of Informant between ours and the German lines.' Seventh statement, 1324 Pte J. HICKEY, 30th Bn (patient, No 4 Australian General Hospital, Randwick), 24 April 1917: 'On 19th July at Fleurbaix Informant was near Watterson in a charge, and saw him fall near our own parapet; he appeared to have been killed instantly.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, WATTERSON Randal
Red Cross file 2880209 |
Postal Address:
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Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
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Campbell, ACT 2600
