John Watson
Rank: Private
Service No: 332976
Place of Birth: Edinburgh
Date of Death: 29/9/1918
Theatre of Death: F&F
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: Highland Light Infantry (B Coy 9th (Glasgow Hds) Bn)
Cemetery: Targelle Ravine British Cemetery, Villers-Guislain
Additional information: Son of John and Margaret Gray Watson of Rutherglen.
Rutherglen Lore information: Son of Mr and Mrs J Watson, 31 Rosslyn Avenue, Rutherglen.
Soldier’s Effects information: Father John Watson.
De Ruvigny’s Roll information: 2nd son of John Watson of 31 Rosslyn Avenue, Rutherglen, Builder by his wife, Margaret daughter of Alexander Gray of United States of America; b at Stratton, co. Edinburgh 12 Jan 1887; educ. John Street Public School and Royal Technical College, Glasgow; was in business with his father; joined the Lanarkshire Yeomanry in May 1916; was transferred to the Highland Light Infantry Jan 1917; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from Jan 1917; was invalided home in March 1917 and again in Jan 1918; returned to France Aug 1918 and was killed in action at Cambrai 29 Sept 1918. Buried at Villers Guislain; unm.
1901 census information:
Address: 9 Ardenlea Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow.
Father: John (43) joiner, foreman, born about 1868 in Melrose.
Mother: Margaret(29) born about 1865 in Tain.
Brother: Alexander (18) scholar, born about 1883 in Lasswade.
Self: John (16) bookseller’s assistant, born about 1885 in Liberton.
Sister: Jane (12) born about 1889 in Liberton.
Brother: Walter (10) born about 1891 in Glasgow.
Sister: Margaret (6) born about 1895 in Glasgow.
Sister: Elizabeth (4) born about 1897 in Glasgow.
Sister: Mary (2) born about 1899 in Glasgow.
Sister: Georgina (1 month) born about 1901 in Glasgow.
Newspaper transcript – Watson. – On the 29th Sept., killed in action, Private John Watson, H.L.I., aged 31 years, second son of Mr and Mrs John Watson, 31 Rosslyn Avenue, Rutherglen.
Newspaper transcript – Private John Watson, H.L.I. (killed), was previous to the war in business as a joiner with his father in Bridgeton and held the certificate in building construction from Glasgow Technical College. He resided in Rutherglen, and had been three times wounded.
Also commemorated in the Roll of Honour for the Royal Technical College, Glasgow.