Name
Reginald Walter Watts
1 August 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/09/1917
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Acting Bombardier
315470
Royal Garrison Artillery
81st Siege Bty.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 6 to 7 and 162.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
St John the Evangelist Memorial, Boxmoor, Tunbridge Wells War Memorial, Kent
Pre War
Reginald Walter Watts was born on 1 August 1887 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, the son of Walter and Annie Watts.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 32 Calverley Street, Tunbridge Wells where his father was working as a Grocer's Assistant. He started worked on 13 September 1902 for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway as a Booking Clerk at Groombridge Station.
He married Violet Brinkhurst on 5 December 1909 in Crawley Down and they had a daughter Constance born in 1910. On the 1911 Census they were living at 49 Winns Avenue, Walthamstow, Essex, when he was working as a mercantile clerk.
They later lived at 37 Victoria Road, Tunbridge Wells and 1 Hill Street, Goods Station Road, Tunbridge Wells.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hemel Hempstead and served with the 81st Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery as an Acting Bombardier.
He was killed in action on 20 September 1917, age 30, during the Battle of Passchendaele. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
His widow initially received a pension of 18s 9d which rose to £1 0s 8d, for herself and her daughter. She also received a war gratuity of £7 and pay owing of £1 18s 3d. N.B. He is mistakenly recorded as Richard Watts on the Register of Soldiers Effects and pension records.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
hemelatwar.org., www.roll-of-honour.com
