The AIF Project

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Transferred to 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance, 8 September 1915.

Admitted to 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance, Maadi, 6 January 1916; rejoined unit from hospital, 8 January 1916.

Transferred to 15th Bn, 16 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 1 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 8 June 1916.

Admitted to 4th Australian Field Ambulance, 27 March 1917 (influenza), and transferred to 3rd Australian Field Ambulance; to 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, 1 April 1917 (trench fever); to 1/1 South Midland Casualty Clearing Station, 7 April 1917; to 56th Casualty Clearing Station, 7 April 1916; to 10th General Hospital, Rouen, 9 April 1917; to England, 25 April 1917, and admitted to Bethnal Green Military Hospital, London, 27 April 1917; transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 16 May 1917; discharged on furlough, 23 May 1917, to report to No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 7 June 1917.

Marched in to Overseas Training Depot, Perham Downs, 19 June 1917.

Married Elsie May STEPHENSON, spinster, aged 23, The Register Office, Pewsey, Wiltshire, 6 September 1917.

Found guilty, 22 August 1917, of neglect of orders in that he was found at Ludgershall about 5.30 a.m. without leave: awarded forfeiture of 3 days' pay.

Proceeded overseas to France, 19 September 1917; rejoined 15th Bn, in the field, 1 October 1917.

Admitted to 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, 3 October 1917, and transferred to 10th Casualty Clearing Station; to 39th General Hospital, Havre, 6 October 1917 (venereal disease: gonorrhoea); discharged, 16 November 1917; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 45 days; rejoined Bn, in the field, 26 November 1917.

Admitted to 4th Australian Field Ambulance, 25 December 1917 (not yet diagnosed, pyrexia), and transferred to 64th West Lancashire Field Ambulance; to 55th Casualty Clearing Station, 8 January 1918; to Ambulance Train No 11, 11 January 1918, and admitted to 5th General Hospital, Rouen, 11 January 1918 (myalgia); to No 2 Convalescent Depot, Rouen, 2 February 1918; to No 11 Convalescent Depot, Buchy, 29 February 1918; to Australian Intermediate Base Depot, Havre, 30 May 1918; rejoined Bn, in the field, 7 June 1918.

Killed in action, 4 July 1918.

Statement, Red Cross File 2870409U, 3250 Pte K. BASSETT, C company, 15th Bn, 26 August 1918: 'Alf Watson C. Coy. was killed on July 4th at Hamel in an attack by us. I was in the stunt myself and made enquiries at the time, but I can't give any special reference. All those killed in that stunt were buried where they fell.'

Second statement, 5520 Pte E. THOMPSON, C Company, 15th Bn (patient, Graylingwell War Hospital, Chichester, England), 12 September 1918: 'He was advancing and killed in the capture of Hamel, and was buried in the Cemetery at Hamel on 4th Jul[.] Buried by battalion Pioneers. Death instantaneous.' Note by interviewer: 'Eye-witness: Yes. Reliable.'

Third statement, 1485 Sergeant W. EASTMAN, 15th Bn (patient, No 6 General Hospital, Rouen), 21 September 1918: 'Watson was in C. Coy. XII Plat. - thje same as I. We were making an attack about 2.30 a.m. against the Germans [sic] positions at Hamel near Villers Bretonneux. We had to go about 1½ miles, our objective being Hamel Wood, which we took about 9.0 a.m. Watson was killed by a shell and fell in a hollow about ¾ miles from our original position. He was buried somewhere near here but I do not know the exact spot. I saw him lying dead there.'

Fourth statement, Lt A.F. NICHOLSON, D Coy, 15th Bn (patient, 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England), 15 November 1918: 'I saw this man brought in close to Hamel On July 4th 1918. He had been killed by a shell at the objective about 8 A.M. on that day. He was buried in a Cemetery in the face of a cliff above Hun's Walk in front of Corbie near Amiens. That is all I can say. He was a very fine soldier, always willing and fearless. The ground was held.'