November 7th: Remembering Thomas Colin Watson, 1897-1916

After education at Lismore High School in northern NSW and work locally as a clerk, Tom (Thomas Colin) Watson enlisted at the age of 18 in October 1915 and was shipped in April 1916 from Sydney to England on the ‘Ceramic’ for training as an infantryman.

He had a bit of a disciplinary record: Once for “using indecent language in a public place in the hearing of the public”, he was severely reprimanded. More than once, he was promoted to corporal then dropped back to private.

Tom joined the 20^th Battalion, AIF on the Western Front on October 2^nd 1916 and was ‘Killed in Action’ on November 7^th 1916 at Caterpillar Valley near the village of Longueval, six miles from Bapaume. His family was later told the young private was killed by concussion from a German artillery explosion. He was 19 years old.

Tom was later buried in the Commonwealth War Graves (CWG) cemetery at Caterpillar Valley. His family was sent his effects that comprised a few letters only. Later they were posted his medals, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. By 1922, all that remained were their memories and a gravestone in a carefully maintained graveyard on the Somme, inscribed with “He Died for Freedom”.

Private Tom Watson's grave at Caterpillar Valley

He wasn’t the only family member to die on the Somme. His brother-in-law, Corporal Guthrie Reilly of the 26^thBattalion AIF, died on 8^th August 1918 at Villers-Brettoneux on the first day of the great offensive that forced the German army back and led to the end of World War 1. A 33-year-old farmer, he was killed by a German prisoner.