WEST MIDLANDS POLICE GREAT WAR MEMORIAL SITE
FRED ALVA WATSON
Fred
Watson was born in the spring of 1894 in Bilton, Rugby. His father was called
Alva Fred Watson, a plumber, his mother was Lilian Watson born in Rugby. He had
5 younger sisters, Lilian Ellen (1895), Minnie (1897), Catherine (1900) and
Gladys (1902). In 1901 the family were living at 43 Union Street, Rugby
but by 1911 they were sharing two rooms at 38 Bye Street, Ledbury.
Fred joined Birmingham City Police 21st September 1914, as a 20 year old carter
and moved to Witton. He served on the ‘A’ Division with Warrant number 8540.
He resigned on 15th November 1915, to enlist in the army, being assigned to the
Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
Fred went to France on 14th June 1916, two weeks before the Battle of Somme. His
battalion occupied trenches on the eastern edge of Dellville Wood during the
night of Saturday 2nd September. Fred's battalion attacked the German lines at
midday alongside the 20th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, who entered the
southern portion of Ginchy. Fred and his battalion wereenfiladed by fire from
Ale Alley and were halted in their advance. An attempt was then made to take Hop
Alley and Beer Trench across open ground, with men occupying shell holes about
40 yards south of Hop Alley. A further attack was made on the southern portion
of Beer trench, parts of the trench system being successfully captured. Elements
of the battalion managed to enter the northern part of Ginchy but were never
heard of again. The following day the survivors were withdrawn to
Becordel-Becourt. Casualties in the attack amounted to 1 officer and 82 men
killed. Fred's body was buried by men from the Coldstream Guards on 18th
September, once the line had moved forward, and now rests in Delville Wood
Cemetery.
HORACE WEEDON
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Horace
Weedon was born in St Pauls, Luton circa 1892 to Jethro (John) and Sarah Ann
Weedon (Nee Whitmore) who were living at 53, Wimbourne Road, Luton. By
1901 his father was a general labourer, while his wife was a straw hat sewer,
living at 15 Foundry Lane, Luton. Horace had four sisters: Florence
(1886), Henrietta (1887), who were both also straw hat finishers, Kate (1889),
and Daisy (1891), and six brothers: Jack (1894), George (1896), Fred (1901),
Frank (1903) who died aged 12 of diphtheria, Albert (1904) and Sidney (1907).
At the age of 18 Horace joined the Army, serving three years with the Grenadier
Guards before leaving and, in November 1913, joining Birmingham City Police.
Horace served at Ladywood Police Station but nine months later, on 4th August
1914, he was recalled to Blenheim Barracks, Aldershot alongside his colleague
from B Division, Horace Weedon. Horace becoming Private 14903 and Walter,
Private 14909.
Their battalion is immediately drafted to France aboard the SS Cawdor Castle,
arriving at Le Havre on 13th August 1914. The battalion were in reserve at
Mons, falling back with the BEF until they reached the Aisne.
On 14th September, Walter and Horace’s battalion crossed the Aisne at Pont Arcy
and advanced under shellfire to La Cour de Soupir Farm which they reached at
1030am. The Germans immediately attacked the the battalion’s positions but
were repulsed. Heavy fighting continued throughout the remainder of the
day with the battalion successfully defending the positions but at a cost of 500
men killed, missing or wounded. The following day the battalion dug defensive
trenches and held the positions although continually attacked and shelled by the
Germans until relieved on 17th September 1914.
In
the maelstrom of the battle, both Horace and Walter are killed and their bodies
lost. A newspaper article quotes Walter's father saying Walter had been
captured, but alas this does not appear to have been the case. Horace and
Walter are both recorded as killed on 16th September 1914 and are commemorated
on the La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial, Seine-et-Marne.