Walking with Ghosts, - William Oliver Watson

William Oliver Watson was the eldest of three brothers and a sister, born to George and Margaret Watson of Albert Row in Bedale, North Yorkshire. William was born in 1896. His two brothers were Alfred (born 1898) and Frank. His sister was called Lily. (There was another sister, but she died in childhood). The house where this family lived, and where William was born, can still be seen today. You will find a photograph of the house, and William's mother, below.

William enlisted at Richmond in the 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (the Green Howards) very soon after the outbreak of the First World War. He was just one of many thousands eager to join up and fight in a war "that would be over by Christmas".

Below some photographs, together with explanation, are arranged in the following groups. Simply select one of the "radio buttons" to be taken to that group.

	1		William Oliver Watson, - his parents, where he was born, and his family
	2		William Oliver Watson, - his part in the War and his death
	3		Alfred Watson, William's younger brother, and his death in World War Two

William Oliver Watson, - his parents, where he was born, and his family

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William Oliver Watson		Margaret Watson, - William's mother.		Albert Row, Bedale, as it is now		George Watson with the local brass band. George is on the extreme right.
Frank Watson, one of William's younger brothers, at the garage in Bedale		William's sister Lily, with her husband James Billings and son Geoffrey Oliver of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment.				The modern day Watsons

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William Oliver Watson, - his part in the War and his death.

William fought with the 6th Battalion at Ypres, in France. Although witnessing and experiencing the horrors of trench warfare, he survived this episode of the War.

The 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment was then despatched to fight in Gallipoli (Turkey). They landed at Suvla Bay on 6 August 1915. After an initial success, the 6th Battalion became trapped in a hellish situation, - short of food and water and confronted by a dogged enemy, they eventually had to withdraw and be evacuated. However, before this happened, William Oliver Watson became one of the many casualty figures. On 21 August 1915, William was killed. His body was never found, but his name is carved on the Memorial at Helles, along with almost 21,000 other men.

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A postcard from William to his mother		The final communication		Notice of William posted Missing
William's Estate		William's Victory Medal		The Helles Memorial		The Bedale Memorial

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Alfred Watson, William's younger brother, and his death in World War Two.

The photographs below relate to the death of William's brother, Alfred, in the Second World War. Alfred served in the Royal Artillery but became a prisoner of the Japanese in the Far East. He worked on the infamous "Death Railway", made famous by the Bridge on the River Kwai, and died of acute enteritis on 10 August 1943. Although he was first buried near Bangkok, his grave was transferred (along with other Commonwealth dead) to the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Kanchanaburi.

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Alfred Watson		Alfred Watson (lying down, right) on exercise		Alfred Watson, a portrait for his children
Alfred's Death Certificate		Alfred's original grave near Bangkok, which was transferred to Kanchanaburi		The present day Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery at Kanchanaburi		Alfred Watson's grave at Kanchanaburi

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