Current Information:

Born-Hackney

Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France

From 25th to 28th February, 1915, the 3rd Rifle Brigade of 17 Brigade, 6th Division were in the front line near Armentières on the French-Belgian border. William Watson died from wounds on 1st March but the battalion diary provides no further information regarding his death. The attrition rate among British soldiers on the Western Front was on average 300 each day and when not involved in an actual battle it was either shell fire or a sniper’s bullet that caused most deaths and injuries.