Obituaries Australia

Mr and Mrs Joseph Marshall Watson, of Botting-street, Albert Park, Woodville, have been notified that their son, Company Sergeant-Major Joseph (Joe) Charles Watson, died of wounds on May 12 at the Third Casualty Clearance Station, France. Company Sgt-Mjr Watson, who was 23 years of age, was born at Albert Park and educated at the Alberton school. He was very popular and held in high esteem by many friends. He was a fine athlete, and well-known in sporting circles, especially football. At the age of 17 he commenced his football career, playing with the Port Adelaide Senior Football Club until his time of enlistment. He played with the last South Australian interstate team, and was playing in the football carnival in Sydney when war was declared. He enlisted on September 10, and left South Australia on October 20, 1914, with the original 10th Battalion, and fought right through the Gallipoli campaign, afterwards going to France. He took part in the capture of Pozieres, and fought with great courage during that attack. For some time after this he was acting in command of his platoon, which did not have an officer. He landed at Gallipoli as a private, and gradually worked his way up to company sergeant-major. On November 28 he was taken dangerously ill with pneumonia, but was so keen to get back to the firing line that instead of taking his furlough he went straight back to the trenches. This is the second son to make the supreme sacrifice, another brother, Spurgeon, having fallen at Gallipoli on May 7, 1915. Still another son, Fred, is serving his country somewhere in France with the Machine Gun Section, attached to the 43rd Battalion.