TOPIC:

Watson's story is probably not unique but it is the first I have come across where a chap who was, albeit for short while, a Boer prisoner, went on to serve in German East Africa in WWI where he succumbed to the ravages of illness.

Charles Spriggs Watson

3rd Class Trooper, South African Constabulary (Prisoner of War) – Anglo Boer War
Sergeant, South African Medical Corps and South African Field Artillery (Died in Service) – WWI

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony & Orange Free State to 2755 3RD CL. TPR: C.S. WATSON. S.A.C.

Early Years

Charles Watson was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire on 17 July 1875 the son of Peter Buchen Watson and his wife Mary, born Spriggs. His parents were married in June 1870 in Islington, London.

At the time of the 1881 England census a 6 year old Charles was visiting his paternal grandfather, also Charles, on Plomer Hill Farm where Watson senior was a prosperous farmer of 84 acres employing 2 men and 2 boys. His 10 year old sister, Margaret was with him although there was no sign of their parents. At the same time, over the border to the North in Scotland, Watson’s future wife, Mary Bell, was a 5 year old at home with her parents in Bryson Street, Falkirk, Stirlingshire.

Ten years later at the time of the 1891 census the Watson family had moved to Falkirk and had taken up residence at 216 Grahams Road. The house was a rather full one with 17 year old Charles now an Apprentice Gas Engineer joined by his parents and siblings Jane (15), Peter (13), Jessie (11), Selby (7), William (5) and Lizzie (2). Father Peter was a Gas Manager and must have provided lodgings to his other Apprentices as there were another 8 people resident on the property. In another part of town a 15 year old Mary Bell was living with her parents in Thornhill Road and was already being put to work as a Housekeeper.

At the time of the 1901 Scotland census Great Britain had already been at war with the two “upstart” Boer Republics in far away South Africa since October 1899. Watson, now 26 years of age and a Pipe Layer by trade, was resident at 230 Grahams Road, down the street from his parents. He had married Mary Spriggs in the meanwhile and the couple had produced two children, Peter Buchen Watson (3) and named after Charles’ father, and 2 year old Maggie.

Anglo Boer War

Whatever possessed Watson to leave what one can imagine was the relative security of his trade to venture to South Africa where a war was raging we will never know. Suffice it to say that he left the comfort and safety of home and, on 29 January 1901. Walked into the South African Constabulary Recruiting Office in Glasgow and completed the Form of Application to join their number.

As referees, a requirement for joining, he provided the names of James G. Russell, Magistrate of the Burgh of Falkirk and John Hendey, Magistrate. By way of trade he confirmed that he was a Plumber or Gas Fitter and that his next of kin was Mary Forgie Bell (Watson) of Grahams Road, Falkirk. He was a fair rider and a good shot and produced the certificates to prove it and was, physically, 5 feet 9 inches in height weighed 160 pounds and had a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair.

On 1 March 1901 he signed the Articles of Agreement before Capt. McLaren and was almost ready, with the rank of 3rd Class Trooper and no. 2755, to set sail for Africa and his new destiny only to receive a memorandum from the Recruiting Staff Officer, Glasgow District on March 6th returning his testimonials and stating that, “there is no more vacancies for married men at present. The Recruiting Officer, London, will consider your case later should vacancies occur. Please acknowledge receipt” This must have been a bitter pill to swallow but the setback was of a temporary nature – on 16 March 1901 the Recruiting Officer Glasgow wrote to his colleague in London as follows, “With reference to your memo re: married candidates Chas. S. Watson and Jas. Scroggie I have inspected these men and consider them most suitable for the S.A.C. Please forward me the forms for Watson as I have got none.”

His path cleared Watson completed the Questions to be filled in by Married Candidates confirming that he was indeed married to Mary Forgie Bell Watson and that they had married at James Street, Falkirk. They also had two children, a boy aged 4 and a girl aged 1 ½. Attestation Papers engaging him for 3 years service were signed on 1 May 1901 and Watson finally set sail for the war leaving his young family behind.

Unlike many of his S.A.C. compatriots who, despite traversing the length and breadth of the country, didn’t necessarily see much action; Watson’s experience must have been different. On 28 September 1901 he went Missing near Leeuwfontein in the Orange Free State but was later released and rejoined his troop. This was the normal pattern for the Boer forces, travelling light and operating a guerilla type of warfare now that their capitals had been surrendered, they would often surprise patrols of encampments and, having plundered what there was to take, they would strip their prisoners bare of their clothing and release them, naked, into the field. This was done for two reasons – firstly they lacked the wherewithal to feed and transport prisoners and secondly, having additional men with them hampered their all-important mobility. That a number of S.A.C. chaps were “in the bag” on that day can be surmised from the additional names captured on that day –

N Beaton (3/Tpr, E2751); F Burston (3/Tpr, E2480); W R Butter (Corp, E1548); A Halls (Corp, E2494); W Mailer (3/Tpr, E2506) and V J Wade (3/Tpr, E2534)

Watson had been assigned to E Division which was, although not exclusively, Orange Free State based.

On 22 November the O.C. 26 Troop (Watson’s outfit) sent a memorandum to the Staff Adjutant enclosing Watson’s marriage certificate and asking that he be inserted in the orders as being taken on the married establishment. Prior to this, on an almost monthly basis, a Justice of the Peace in Falkirk was required to prove to the S.A.C. authorities that Mrs Bell Watson was “still alive”.
A year later Watson wrote to his O.C. from Bloemfontein on 23 October 1902 as follows,

“Sir

I beg to apply for 14 days leave, commencing 2nd November 1902, for the purpose of proceeding to Cape Town to meet the arrival of my wife and family.

I have the honour to be yours etc.

2755 Pioneer Chas. Watson, Works Department, “E” Division, S.A.C.”

Four days later, on 27 October he wrote to Capt. Collins. D.W.O. (Divisional Works Officer) as follows,

“Sir

As I intend going to Cape Town to bring my wife and family to Bloemfontein, I understand that a permit is necessary before they can be allowed to proceed up country.

Sir, I shall be greatly obliged if you will kindly make the necessary arrangements for the granting of this permit.” Both the leave and the request for a permit were agreed to and a railway ticket was forwarded to Watson to his temporary lodgings whilst in Cape Town, the “Good Hope” Hotel.

On December 19th 1902 Mr C. Hill, Assistant Curate, was able to confirm that “Mrs. Watson, the wife of Trooper C. Watson was alive on December 19 and is resident in Bloemfontein.”

With his family now with him Watson decided that it was time to part company with the S.A.C. and, accordingly he wrote to Captain Collins on 25 February 1903 as follows,

“Sir

I beg to make application for my Discharge from S.A.C. with a view of receiving civil employment at my trade as Plumber by D.W.O. “E” Division, S.A.C. Hoping that you will recommend my application.”

On 6 April 1903 he was examined at the Divisional Hospital at Sydenham and found to be “medically fit”. This was precursor to his discharge 2 days later, on 8 April 1903. He was given a Character reference of Very Good and was credited with service of one year, eleven months and 7 days. His forwarding address was given as “Thistle Cottage”, Sydenham near Bloemfontein – the name betraying his Scottish antecedents.

For his services in the war Watson was issued with the Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony and Orange Free State. He signed acknowledgement of receipt of the medal from his home on 9 December 1903.He also qualified for the award of the two date clasps, South Africa 1901 & 1902. This would have been the last we would have heard from Watson in connection with his medal but, on 27 February 1907 the Headquarters of the S.A.C. at Auckland Park wrote informing the recipient that, I am directed to inform you that an application for the clasp “Transvaal” has been received from ex E2755 C.S. Watson, who states he was attached to the Telegraph Department during the late campaign, and that he served under Lieut. Lawson of the Royal Engineers. If this man’s claim is in order, kindly include his name on you next Supplementary roll”

A small annotation in the column of this letter tells us the outcome – “Nothing in papers to show that he ever served in the Transvaal.” – and the matter was at an end.

The next seven or so years were quiet ones for both Watson and the world at large. This equanimity was soon to be destroyed by the outbreak of the Great War on 4 August 1914 which pitched the Allies against the Axis forces. Watson had elected to stay on in South Africa and stood ready to see service in the cause of King and Country for a second time.

World War I

On 9 December 1915 he completed the South African Expeditionary Forces Attestation form at Potchefstroom for service with the South African Medical Corps in German East Africa. 41 years of age at the time, he was employed by the Rand Water Board at their Zuurebekom, Johannesburg plant as a Plumber. He confirmed previous service with the S.A.C. of 2 years. Physically he described himself as being 5 feet 9 inches in height with a dark complexion, hazel eyes and dark hair (not much changed from his appearance many years before). He was a Presbyterian by way of religious denomination. Having been passed as Fit by the Doctor he was assigned no. 879 and the rank of Private assigned to the Sanitation Corps and, initially, attached to the 4th South African Horse with effect from 15 January 1916 when he was already deployed in German East Africa. He had been promoted to Corporal with the Sanitation Corps four days earlier being elevated to Sergeant’s rank on 21 March 1916.

This theatre of the war was plagued by pestilence on a grand scale. Being so near the tropics the climate was humid and proved to be an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects which carried the deadly malaria and black water fever sicknesses. Totally unsuited to troops of European extraction they succumbed, in ever increasing numbers, to the diseases aforementioned and this part of the conflict became well known, or should I say notorious, for the number of casualties who died through illness as opposed to enemy action. The real killer was the climate and Smuts made the decision to recall all European troops back to South Africa in late 1916.

This was cold comfort to Watson, who as we have seen was attached to the Mounted Brigade, and who had to stick it in the trying conditions. Initially repatriated to the Union, he disembarked at Durban from the H.M.T. “Aragon” on 11 February 1917 and was given recuperative leave to Johannesburg from 14 February until 13 May 1917 before being sent back to the front on 13 June 1917 aboard the H.M.T. “Anchises”.

Back in the theatre of conflict he was attached to the 8th South African Infantry on 18 May 1917 where he resumed his duties. On 13 August 1917 at Lindi he succumbed to the ravages of Blackwater Fever and was hospitalised, Dangerously Ill. Watson was never to rise from his sick bed again passing away on 20 August 1917, one of the many victims of illness. He had left a Will wherein, in the event of his death, he gave the whole of his property and effects to his wife, Mary. His grave was marked by a cross. For whatever reason his wife never claimed his World War I medals and, as a result, neither the death plaque nor medals were ever issued to the family.

Watson had died at 42 years 11 months and was survived by his wife and four children, Peggy Lyon Watson, born on 5 July 1899, Charles Spriggs Watson, born on 16 July 1901 and on active service with the South African Field Artillery in Palestine when his father died; Harry Bell Watson, born on 31 January 1907, Mary Spriggs Watson, born on 24 January 1909 and Jack Watson born on 10 March 1915.