William Watson

Killed in Action on the 18/08/1917 at the Battle of Langemarck (part of the Battles of Ypres / Passchendaele)

The Battalion arrived at Marseilles on the 13/03/1916 from Port Said after being evacuated from Gallipoli to Egypt on the 01/01/1916. They were part of the 86th Brigade, 29th Division. William was Killed in Action at the Battle of Langemarck, 16th - 18th August 1917. This was part of the Battles of Ypres (Passcehendaele), 31st July - 10th November 1917 : The British finally got what they had wanted since 1914: the opportunity to attack at Ypres and breakout of the confines of the salient of trenches around it. Often known as the Third Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele, the offensive began with encouraging gains but terrible summer weather soon bogged it down. By August the offensive was clearly failing in its objectives and had descended into attritional fighting. New techniques by both sides led to agonisingly slow forward movement for the British, at enormous cost in casualties to both sides. Bad weather in October led to the battlefield becoming an impossible quagmire. William was formerly with the Royal Army Service Corps (297495). In the autumn of 1912, William enrolled at the Glasgow Provincial Training College (forerunner of Jordanhill College of Education, now the University of Strathclyde) for a four-year course of teacher training offered in conjunction with the University of Glasgow. Students on this course were required to matriculate and study concurrently at the University. If successful, they would obtain two qualifications: the Teacher's General Certificate, entitling them to teach in primary schools, and an Arts degree. At University, William passed exams in Latin, Logic and Metaphysics, Political Economy, Mathematics and Education. However, war intervened and he did not complete his studies. The Glasgow Provincial Training College student registers indicate that he withdrew on the 2nd September 1915 to take up munitions work. He subsequently enlisted for war service on 19 February 1917. William is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour and on the Strathclyde University-Jordanhill Teacher Training College Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for William's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Tyne Cot Memorial Panel List, his name on the Tyne Cot Memorial x 2, his listing in the Ireland Casualties WW1, another photo of William, his Pension Records x 3, his former Regiment the Royal Army Service Corps Cap Badge, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Cap Badge, a map of the gradual advance to Ypres and an aerial view of the Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial.