No.42531, Private, Charles Bernard WATTS
Aged 19
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Born at Eton Grove, Lee, Kent (1st qtr 1899 Lewisham 1d:1211) son of Samuel George and Sarah Jane WATTS (née VARNEY)
1901 census...Aged 2, he was at 10 Eton Grove, Lewisham, Kent with his father Samuel G WATTS [34] printer's clerk born Buckingham; his mother Sarah J [34] born Preston Bissett, Bucks; brothers Rupert V [9] and James S [7] both born in Lee, Kent His father died in November 1901 and his mother married Alfred E TURNER in Bury St.Edmunds in 1916. She seems to have used the surname TURNER since at least 1905 by the birth registration of Evelyn (where her maiden name is VARNEY) 1911 census...Aged 12,recorded as born Blackheath rather than nearby Lee, he was at 22 Rupert Road, Guildford with his stepfather Alfred E TURNER [31] hairdresser born Warminster, Wilts. and his half sister Evelyn Irene TURNER [6] born Newbury; brother James Stuart WATTS [17] apprentice hairdresser born Blackheath. His mother Sarah Jane TURNER was at "The Crown", Wokingham with her widowed sister Ann Withers, [32] publican and her her sister Harriett Varney [35], all three born at Preston Bissett The pension card puts his mother at "Clovelly" 80a Addington Road, Reading. |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds.
War Diary HINGES Sector 14th June 1918.. 11:45 pm..Zero Hour. Barrage came down and advance commenced. 00:50 am Wounded from Y and Z report all well.Prisoners from 31st R.I.R. commenced to come through 2:30 am 2 Lt Bailey, Intelligence Officer reports that enemy still holds some trenches between Z and W Coys, otherwise everything all right and in touch on right and left. 6:55 am Message received timed 5:57 am that W had reached the whole of their objective and were in touch with Z Coy 8 am All quiet. Very little retaliation throughout what then was way on the canal bank and round the Orchard. Further info in report marked"A" Casualties, 1 officer killed, 4 wounded, 1 wounded and at duty, OR 11 killed 77 wounded. 4 pm to 8pm Enemy heavily shelled the canal bank, chiefly round PONT HINGES and GREENWOOD LANE and the Orchard. Some 8" used. This continued throughout the night making it very difficult for carrying party to get up from behind. Some tea was got up and owing to the water dumped across the canal being full of petrol, water was then wanted and a certain amount was got forward. The need of petrol tins however prevented very much being taken up.
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