The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private H Watkins

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Private Herbert WATKINS, G/20606, 7th Battalion,  Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment,  killed in action,  Flanders France, death presumed on or after, 28th March 1918, age 19.

Born Holloway, London, N1, son of Clara Watkins, 11, Bryan Place, Caledonian Road, Islington, London.

1911 Census - 10 St Clement Street, Islington, London - Clara Watkins, head, widow, age 52, married 33 years, 11 children, 8 still alive, Chelmondiston, Suffolk; Alfred Watkins, age 21, single, labourer, building, worker, born Wellington Road, Barnsbury; Edith Watkins, age 20, single, packet hand, confectioners, worker, born Wellington Road, Barnsbury; Herbert Watkins, son, age 12, after school hours, greengrocers, born Wellington Road, Barnsbury.

Entry crossed through - Charles Watkins, son, age 23, single, Plater & Gilder, Silver & Goldsmith, worker, born Wellington Road, Barnsbury.

Enlisted Holloway, age 17 years 9 months, height 5ft 7¾ inches.  Resided 11, Bryan Place, Caledonian Road, Islington, London. Formerly engineers labourer.

Home 26th August 1916 to 28th January 1918; BEF 29th January 1918 to 28th March 1918.

26th August 1916, enlisted; 29th August 1916 to Army Reserve; 18th January 1917, Medical History, examined at City of London - age 18, height 5ft 7¾ inches, weight 127lbs. 21st February 1917, mobilized & posted Training Reserve Battalion, Service No.TR/10/35182; 21st June 1917, transferred & posted 209th Infantry Battalion; 31st October 1917, 51 (Grad)  Training Reserve Battalion, (Middlesex Regiment); 29th January 1918, posted BEF & transferred & posted 7th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 28th March 1918, posted missing.

8th October 1919, Statement of Relatives - Widow, none; Children, none; Father, none, born out of wedlock; Mother, Clara Watkins, 11, Bryan Place, Caledonian Road, N1; Brothers - none; Brothers (half blood) - James Watkins, age 41, 162 Georges Road, Holloway; Charles R Watkins, age 32, 1, Bryan Place, Caledonian Road; Alfred G Watkins, age 30, 1, Bryan Place, Caledonian Road; Sisters - none; Sisters (half blood) - Alice Collins, age 39, 1 Arundel Road, Barnsbury; Clara King, age 38, 11, Bryan Place, Caledonian Road; Emily Gardner, age 34, 190 Roslyn Road, Tottenham; Edith H Arnold, age 28, 11, Bryan Place, Caledonian Road.

Commemorated at Pozieres Memorial, Panel 58 and 59, Somme, France.