Name
Bertie Watson
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/08/1916
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
18679
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PHILOSOPHE BRITISH CEMETERY, MAZINGARBE
I. J. 6
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin,
We are not aware of any Charlton memorial
Pre War
He was the third son of Charles Watson of Charlton, Hitchin.
He was born and was resident in Charlton which is near Hitchin and before the war worked for Major Curling at Offley Holes Farm. He enlisted in Hitchin.
Wartime Service
Bertie was allocated Regimental Number 18679 and posted to the 6th Battalion of the Bedfords. On the 12th July 1916 he was admitted to hospital in Etaples suffering from gunshot wounds, but returned to his unit after six days. Later he was severely wounded and died in hospital.
The 6th Battalion arrived at Mazingarbe between Loos and Bethune in the Pas de Calais on the 24th August 1916 and went into trenches in the Loos Salient the following day as part of the 37th Division.
He is buried in Plot 1, Row J, Grave 6, in the Philosophe British Cemetery in Mazingarbe, France. The grave next to him is that of fellow townsman Arthur Titmuss and their deaths almost certainly took place as a result of the same engagement.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Brenda Palmer
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
