John Thomas Watson
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John Thomas Watson was born in 1893 at Hasland, Derbyshire and was the son of John a hoop maker and the late Mary Hewitson Watson née Satterthwaite of Rose Cottage Skelwith Bridge, Ambleside, Westmorland. His father John was born in 1857 at Liverpool and his mother Mary Hewitson Satterthwaite was born in 1857 at Langdale, Westmorland, she died in 1907 aged 52 yrs her death was recorded n the Kendal Registration district, they were married in 1887 their marriage was recorded in the Ulverston Registration District, they went on to have 6 children, Martha b1890, Michael b1892, John Thomas b1893, Joseph James b1894 and Frank b1898. In the 1911 census the family are living at Skelwith Bridge, Ambleside and are shown as John 53 yrs a widow and hoop maker, he is living with his children, Martha 21 yrs a house keeper, Michael 19 yrs a hoop maker, John 18 yrs a grocers assistant, James 17 yrs a gardener and Frank 13 yrs a scholar.
Private John Thomas Watson enlisted on 14th September 1914 at Newark whilst residing at Ambleside with his family. He gave his age as 21 yrs and 10 months and that his occupation was that of a grocers assistant. He served with the 1/8th battalion Sherwood Foresters and landed in France on 2nd March 1915. On the 22nd July 1915 he was out on patrol with 'b' Company 1/8th battalion Sherwood Foresters when the patrol returned to the front lines it was challenged by the sentry on duty, due to an error the sentry mistakenly shot Private Watson. He was conveyed to the 28th Casualty clearing station where on 25th July 1915 he died of his wounds. He is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.
A court of enquiry was assembled in the field on 29th July 1915 with the purpose to investigate the circumstance the injuries caused to Private Watson 'b' company 1/8th battalion Sherwood Foresters, it was presided over by Captain G.S Heathcote of the 1/8th battalion. Evidence was heard from a number of witnesses at the end of which it found that Private John Watson was accidentally shot by a sentry, the accident was entirely due to a mistaken signal and the sentry was not to blame (full details in the army service record of John Thomas Watson.)
