916257 Robert Leonard Watson Canadian Engineers

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Hi All 

Signed up to the forum today. Nice to 'meet' you all.

 

I'm writing to you about Canadian Sapper Robert Leonard Watson. Army number 916257. Died 11th June 1917.

 

I read about his accidental drowning at 'The Old Mill Pond' in Crowborough and decided to look in to him a bit more. 

 

I have spent some time at Crowborough camp in the last decade for some exercises. This is where Sapper R. L. Watson had been for a month or so up to his death (the camp was turned in to small barracks after the First World War up to now).

 

I decided to trace where this incident had happened and managed to find it. 

 

The Old Mill Pond was a man made expanse of water. Soldiers from the camp and people from the local area used to swim in it regularly. Unfortunately, there was a cold current in the lake and subsequently, several people had drowned in there over the years. As many as 4 by the end of the First World War I believe. 

 

According to the Sussex History Forum:

 

"Robert Leonard Watson
Sapper
Canadian Engineers
Service number 916257

Died on the 11th June 1917  aged 19 years.

Buried in Crowborough Burial Ground (Herne Road Cemetery), Crowborough, East Sussex - grave Reference: E. 1308.
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Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 15 June 1917

CROWBOROUGH

BATHING FATALITY - The Deputy Coroner for East Sussex held an inquest at Crowborough Camp yesterday afternoon touching the death of Robert Leonard Watson, a Sapper in the Canadian Engineers, aged 19 years, who was drowned in the "Old Mill Pond" on Monday evening whilst bathing with a number of other soldier comrades.  Sapper R. Phillips C.E. said that the deceased had been at the camp since the 7th May.  He came from Toronto (Canada) and had excellent health.  Sapper Achison C.E. said that about a quarter-of-an-hour after the accident occurred  he arrived at the lake and, after diving five or six times, recovered the body of the deceased and brought it to the bank.  Artificial respiration was tried but without avail.

Sapper L. Hill, Canadian Engineers, deposed that he and Watson swam across the lake and the latter, after they had rested about five minutes, asked him to swim back.  He declined as he had cramp. Watson then decided to swim back and when he was about 15 yards from the bank called for him to help.  Witness had walked round to the other side, and went to his rescue.  He tried to get hold of him but the deceased seized him by the leg.  He managed to free himself, and, becoming exhausted, Sapper Swift, who had also tried to save the deceased, helped him to the bank.  

Captain Cuzner C.A.M.C. said he reached the scene of the accident about 7.45pm.  He found Watson on the bank and life extinct.  Artificial respiration had been resorted to, but life was extinct.  Death was due to drowning.  Sapper Swift deposed to trying to rescue Watson, and then as Hill was exhausted, taking him to the bank.  The Coroner - In one part of the lake the water was very cold.  The Foreman - No doubt the lake is most dangerous, there being a cold current.  The Coroner said that everything had been done by Watson's comrades who made gallant attempts to rescue him. The Jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Drowning" and passed a vote of sympathy with the relatives.  The Foreman said that the Jury wished to commend Swift and Hill for their gallant conduct and also wished to recommend that the Military Authorities should be asked to take steps to prevent a similar accident, this being the fourth case of its kind since the war.  The Coroner - I think the Military have anticipated the Jury's recommendation and put the lake out of bounds."

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The lake is no longer there however. It was built to serve the water wheel to the mill. The mill had fallen in to disrepair by the 40's and a storm in the 50's burst the dam causing the water to run away. No one thought it necessary to repair it. So now it is just a basin where the water once was and nature has claimed it back.

 

You can see the younger trees in the basin amongst the larger, older ones around the outside. 

 

I also went to find his grave and have attached a few photos of my findings for you.

 

From my research, I understand his parents had died before he enlisted and his next of kin was his sister. He has also lied about his age to enlist. He was 17 when he came to England.

 

I would imagine therefore that not many people would have visited his grave knowing what had happened to him. His sister apparently could not afford to bring him back to Canada and he had a standard military funeral around a mile away from the camp and the lake itself.

 

More details can be found here: https://www.canadianukgravesww1.co.uk/blog/2019/06/ww1-canadian-teenage-soldier-died-in-drowning-tragedy/

 

I did get in touch with the Canadian Archives but they had already had a team out to photograph all of their fallen soldiers graves in the UK some 10 years or so ago.

 

I hope this is of interest to some!

 

Cheers

 

AL