Source: April 1917 casualty.
Private George Albert Watts, reg. no. 159208. Contributed to the 18th Battalion Facebook Group by Jennifer Thompson-Johnson.
Summary of Service for Private George Albert Watts, reg. no. 159208
| Date | Event | Remarks |
| April 14, 1891 | Born | Toronto, Ontario, Canada. |
| September 15, 1915. | Enlists | Enlists with the 81st Battalion (36th Peel Regiment) at Toronto, Ontario. He is a 24-year old wicker worker standing 5’9.75” tall. He lists his mother, Mrs. Emily Watts of 557 Gerrard Street as his next of kin. He has no prior military experience. |
| October 10, 1916 | Inoculated | Anti-Typhoid |
| October 14, 1916 | Inoculated | Anti-Typhoid |
| October 17, 1916 | Vaccinated | |
| October 18, 1916 | Inoculated | Anti-Typhoid |
| April 28, 1916 | Leaves Toronto | |
| April 1916 | Assigns Pay | Assigns pay in expectation of being shipped overseas for active service. Assigns $20.00 per month to his mother, Emily Watts, residing at 25 Jones Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. |
| May 1, 1916 | Embarks Halifax | Embarks aboard the S.S. Olympic in Halifax, Nova Scotia for England. |
| May 6, 1916. | Arrives England | Arrives Liverpool. Note the short duration of the trip at five days. It is possible the S.S. Olympic travelled on its own and was not slowed in its passage by being in a convoy. |
| June 14, 1916 | Submits Will | Submits will in which he assigns all his property and effects to his mother, Mrs. Emily Watts residing now at 25 Jones Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. |
| June 24, 1916 | Transferred | Transferred to the 18th Battalion after being at West Sandling Camp. Begins transit to unit. |
| June 29, 1916 | Arrives | Arrives Canadian Base Depot, Etaples, France. |
| July 27, 1916 | Proceeds to Join Unit | Transits from C.B.D. to the front. |
| August 4, 1916 | Arrives 18th Battalion | Arrives for duty with the 18th Battalion. The Battalion is in the Vierstraat Sector of the Ypres Front and will shortly be transferred to the Somme. The War Diary relates on that date:
“Routine. Company parades. 1 o.r. admitted to hospital. 2 o.r.s returned from hospital.” |
| April 23, 1917 | Killed in Action | Killed in action in the Vimy Sector. The Battalion had been stations as of April 16, 1917 at CRAMER HOUSE (HAUS). The 18th Battalion War Diary has no detail as to the circumstances of Private Watt’s death. It simply states:
“Position same. Nothing unusual to report. Battalion Transport had to move back owing to enemy shelling, and now being located at 8.c.3.2.” |
| Interned | Private G.A. Watts is interned at the Ecoivre Military Cemetery, Mont-St. Eloi. Of the 1728 Commonwealth soldiers buried there he lies with thirteen other members of the 18th Battalion. | |
| June 19, 1920 | War Service Gratuity | War Service Gratuity of $180.00 submitted to Mr. And Mrs. Watts. |
