James Watts

[Eveline Clarke]

Hi
I am not sure if anyone is able to help me, but I am looking for information on my Uncle James Howard Watts.

He was a private with the Worcestershire Regiment No. 25860. But I am not sure which of the Regiments he was with. I ordered his medal card from the National Archives and know that he was awarded both the Victory Medal and the British Cross.

What I would like to know is which battles he fought in. I know he was in the trenches and that he was wounded by a shell (a) it took both of his legs or (b) he had them surgically removed as they were shattered. I also know that a piece of shrapnel entered his brain and that this was what eventually killed him but that was not until much later on 13th November 1848.

If anyone is able to help me with information on Uncle Jim, I would be very grateful.

[justices]

Hello Eveline,

There are members here who can directly assist with the regimental history for your uncle, but a visit to The National Archives at Kew will be of interest to you.

I was at Kew yesterday and had a quick look at the medal index card for James Watts as I was there. Apart from his entries for the British War and Victory Medals, he is also on the Silver War Badge (SWB) List so there may well be a little extra information than normal in the medal rolls themselves. There will certainly be enlistment and discharge dates so viewing them will be worthwhile.

Good Luck & Kind Regards,
SMJ

[Eveline Clarke]

Hi SMJ

Thank you for that. I didn't realise he had the SWB as well and I appreciate you telling me.

Unfortunately, Kew is a little far away for me to visit as I live on Anglesey, I will try to find it in the archives online though and if I find it I can then send for the details. That is how I found out about him being awarded the Victoria and British Cross.

Regards

[justices]

Eveline,

Unfortunately there is very little information available to view online at present although this will change significantly over the coming years. At the moment one really needs to visit The National Archives and view the primary documents themselves. This really is a great experience for anyone interested in the military history of units and individuals. I am sure that there are organisations with branches in Anglesey who organise trips to Kew and I encourage you to seek them out and see what is going on. I would suggest the British Legion and Western Front Association might be good for starters.

I am more than usually interested in SWB holders myself, and your Uncle James suffered enormous injuries which make the Badge an excercise in understatement extraordinaire! so I am happy to check the records held at Kew for you on my next visit. I will also check for service and pension records as these are the most prized and illuminating but, sadly, also the rarest. About 70% of this priceless archive was destroyed during the Blitz in 1940.

If you'd like to send me a private message with an email address I'll update you there.

Kind Regards,
Simon

[Eveline Clarke]

Hi Simon

Thank you for your reply and your offer, I appreciate that.

I have only lived on Anglesey for the last 4 years and I am still intergrating with the locals, but I will try to find out if they have a British Legion or Western Front Organisation. I am sure there is a lot to learn at Kew, not only regarding the first world war, but other historical papers as well.

I am not sure how to send a private message, but that doesn't really matter, my e.mail address is aclarke22@toucansurf.com.

I think I mentioned that I sent for his medal card, but that didn't really tell me anything apart from the fact that he was awarded the Victoria Medal and the British Cross (Mutt and Jeff).

I will add that I remember my Uncle with great affection although he died when I was 10. He was a wonderful man and came to visit us often riding his three wheeled trike with hand pedals. That was a journey of over 2 miles there and back up some fairly steep hills. Once he was here, he would talk to Mum and Dad for a while and then say come on then - not that I had asked for anything - he then gave us rides up and down the road sitting in front of him. Not only me and my brother but also the other children in the road. It is a good work that we lived in a private road and that there wasn't the amount of traffic around in those days.

Also in the morbid way of kids, we used to like feeling the hard lump on his head which was the one end of a piece of shrapnel, it moved across his head and we always wondered where it had reached. You could also see the inward and exit wounds for other small pieces.

I know from what my mother and father said that he often had headaches and that he said he could "feel" his legs hurting. So it must have been very difficult for him, but throughout that, he always appeared smiling and happy to us kids.

Thanks once again for your offer.

Eveline

[justices]

I am in correspondence with Eveline and we haven't finished yet, but just in case this is of use, I found another James Watts of the Worcesters yesterday.

He was Pte. 9311 James Watts. Son of Charlotte and brother to Belinda Ellen and Agnes Elizabeth. His service records have survived and are in quite a poor way, but if someone is looking they are there.

Kind Regards,
SMJ

[Mike Jones]

Evening Simon,
I have not come on to add anything to the story of James Watts but to thank you for getting involved in his story. To keep the memory of these Great War men alive and let future generations know of their sacrifice, we need a lively and helpful Forum. The more people we get involved the better. The reason I stay back and dont come straight in, is to give others a chance of helping and expanding their own knowledge. On behalf of Louis Scully (Ownner and hardest worker of the website) and myself thanks. We would also like to thank Kevin Lynot, Clive Dickens, Allan Parry. Edwin Astill and Martin Newman . You have been a bit quite lately Martin , are you alright?
Many Thanks Mike