Joseph Watson

[terry@thewatsons]

Joseph Watson born 26.1.1898. Joined up after lying about his age, but his reg number and regiment are not known. He was the minimum height for the bantams regiment, and cap badge could be Cheshires. Joined up from the Stalybridge, Cheshire, area. He fought in French front line, was sometime an instructor & used a Lewis gun. Flew as an air gunner for a time, when he used a Lewis gun attached to a metal ring which ran round the cockpit. Wounded with shrapnell wounds in buttocks and his left eye. He was evacuated to Liverpool (Knowsley Park ?). Twice promoted to sergeant, but never said how many times or why he was busted down. What can I do to trace him please ?

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Welcome to the forum

Have you looked at this helpful web site:

http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/grandad.htm

If he ended up in the Royal Air Force, that complicates matters! You need to know his RAF service number as their records are stored in service number order; the index in AIR78 is incomplete. Here's the UK National Archives research guide:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalog...p?sLeafletID=60