Eric Watkins
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Eric was the son of Bernard and Flora Rose Watkins (née Reynolds). His father was born in Arundel, Sussex, in about 1861 and his mother was born in Romsey, Hampshire, in 1867. Bernard (35), bachelor, profession provision agent, and Flora (27), spinster, were married at the parish church of St Andrew, Stockwell, in December 1895 (reg. Lambeth). According to the information provided by Bernard on the 1911 Census, he and his wife had been married for 20 years and had had five children, all living. At the time of the census, Bernard, a retired grocer, and Flora were living at 6 Chatsworth Road, Worthing, with three of their children, Eric b. 1897, Guy b. 1898 and Edna Winifred b. 1900, who were born in Worthing. However, on the 1901 Census, when the family was living on 100 Portland Road, Worthing, there were four children in the home: Bernard (9) b. Brighton, Eric, Guy and Winifred. No birth registration record has yet been traced for Bernard (Watkins or Reynolds) and he has not yet been traced either on the 1911 Census or a registration of death. Eric's parents were living on North Street, Worthing, at the time of his death in 1915; the later CWGC record gave their address as at 2 Montpelier Terrace, North Street, Worthing. Flora died in 1930; the probate record gave her address as North Street. Bernard died at their home, 17 North Street, in 1936; probate was awarded to his unmarried daughter Edna. Flora and Bernard were buried in Broadwater Cemetery, Worthing.
Royal Army Medical Corps "A" Section, 32nd Field Ambulance. Eric served in the Gallipoli campaign from 30 July 1915. He was reported missing in action on 17 August 1915 when he was a member of a stretcher party sent to recover casualties at Suvla. His death was later confirmed on that date. Eric has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial (Panel Reference: Panel 199 and 200 or 236 to 239 and 328) He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC Additional information: 'Son of Bernard and Floria Rose Watkins of 2 Montpelier Terrace, North Street, Worthing.' RAMC in the Great War: ‘Eric entered the war in the Balkans on 30th July 1915. He is mentioned in a list of men who went with Lt Smith and a party of stretcher-bearers to collect wounded between Green Knoll and The Pimple, Suvla on 17th August 1915. He was originally listed as missing but was later determined to have been killed that day. He was the son of Bernard and Floria Rose Watkins of 2 Montpelier Terrace, North Street, Worthing.’ (www.ramc-ww1.com/profile) Worthing Gazette, 19 May 1915: ‘Local Roll of Honour. Our 38th Weekly List … Royal Army Medical Corps.’ 19 names including Eric Watkins (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Eric's name later appeared in the Gazette’s Roll of Honour, ‘Died in the service of their country. At home or abroad.’ Worthing Gazette, 22 September 1915: ‘Small Shot. It was officially intimated to Mr and Mrs Bernard Watkins of North-street on Monday evening, that their son Eric, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, has been missing since the middle of August. Prior to his enlistment, this young soldier was in the service of Boots Limited.’ (www.briishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Boots 'Comrades in Khaki', November 1915, 'By the Way': 'Pte Eric Watkins of the RAMC is among those missing at the Dardanelles.' (Nottinghamshire Archives, RB.38) Worthing Gazette, ‘Deaths’, 23 April 1930: ‘Flora Rose, wife of Bernard Watkins, North-street, Worthing, aged 62 years.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
