John Watson

An Acting Regimental Sergeant Major with the Inland Waterways Transport, John died on 15th of May 1918 at the age of 53. 

John was a son of George and Jean (Jane) Watson. He is believed to have been born at Kintore, near Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, on 20 July 1864. In 1871 his family lived at a cottage in Thorns Forest, and in 1881 they lived at 5, Aberdeen Turnpike, Kintore, and John was a paper mill worker. By 1891 John was working as a stone mason and he lodged at 28 Whitworth Road, Plumstead, London. 

On 2 August 1898 John married Alice Sparham at Saint John’s Church, Lowestoft. John was working as a stone mason and living at 14 Azof Street, East Greenwich, London, and Alice lived at 14 Tonning Street, Lowestoft. John and Alice have not been traced in either the 1901 or 1911 Census, but, at some point, they went to live with Alice’s sister Florence Pool, and her husband Charles, at 27 Roydene Road, Plumstead. Later Alice returned to Lowestoft and lived with her sister Clara Spoons, and her husband Edward, at 134 High Street. Subsequently Alice lived at 7 Orchard Terrace, London Road. 

Little is known of John’s military service. He enlisted at Whitehall, London, and joined the Royal Engineers, service number WR/342688. By 1918 he had been promoted to Acting Regimental Sergeant Major and he served with the Inland Waterways Transport. In 1917 the resort of Beachley, near Chepstow, Monmouthshire, was taken over for development as a naval dockyard. By 1918 up to 4,000 men were working at the facility, with some staying at billets at Beachley and others at Sedbury Camp just outside of Chepstow. It seems that John worked at Beachley, but he died at Sedbury from acute arteriosclerosis of cerebral artery aggravated by active service.