WATSON, Colonel William Walker Russell, CB CMG MiD VD Leg D’Hon (Fr)

Colonel William Walker Russell Watson CB CMG MiD VD

Leg D’Hon (Fr)  

2nd NSW Mounted Infantry Contingent

1902 Coronation Contingent

Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force

24th Battalion, AIF

by Robert Simpson

William Walker Russell Watson was born in Balmain, Sydney, New South Wales on 19^th May 1875, one of seven children to William George Watson and Emily Jane Walter. He was the eldest child of the family. William George was a doctor who eventually had a practice in Elizabeth St. in Sydney after practicing in the Snowy Mountains. He also practiced homoeopathy. William George had been born in Sydney in 1845 and married Emily on 19^th June 1873 in Balmain. His father, William Bourn Russell Watson was the illegitimate son of Bourn Russell and Elizabeth Watson. Bourn was a sea captain and also was involved in politics and business in New South Wales. He married Ester Emma Leach in Sydney on 29^th January 1842. Her parents had been convicts. William Bourn was a soda water and cordial manufacturer in NSW in the 1850’s, served in the NSW parliament and passed away in 1877 leaving an estate that was divided up amongst the family. At school, William Walker took part in many inter-school cricket and football matches while at Sydney High School from 1890 to 1893. He also went to Sydney University Junior. After school he studied dentistry for about two years in Newcastle while with the Fourth Infantry Regiment.

William began his military career in Sydney as a trumpeter in the Marrickville Scottish Volunteers. Another record says he joined the Sixth Regiment (Reserves) as a bugler in 1886 and on their disbandment joined the Sydney Scottish Rifles and was bugler-major in the cadets afterwards. He qualified for his commission and became a Lieutenant on 26^th October 1896, passed the Infantry School of Instruction (distinguished in theory) on 9^th March 1897 and on 20^th November 1897 passed for Captain (distinguished in drill and tactics, special mention) and was commissioned as Captain on 1^st January 1898 at the age of 23. He was looked upon as an exceedingly capable officer.

On 23^rd June 1896, in the NSW Gazette, William Watson Russell Watson, gentleman, to be Second Lieutenant in the Fourth Regiment. In the Government Gazette of 7^th July 1897 the Governor approved the disbandment of the Cadet Company of the Fourth Infantry Regiment at Newcastle in accordance with the Volunteer Acts of 1867 and 1878 and “Second Lieutenant William Walker Russel Watson is to the First Infantry Regiment, dated 1^st July, 1897.” Another entry on 7^th January 1898 advises Second Lieutenant William Walker Russell Watson to be Captain, promoted. By the end of 1898 he was a dental surgeon, working in William St. and was a member of the 1^st Infantry Regiment.

William volunteered for service in South Africa, was accepted and left on 17th January 1900. He was sent to South Africa with the second Mounted Infantry contingent as a Lieutenant. While there he was promoted to Captain in August. Under instructions from the Commander in Chief, Colonel de Lisle, he was to enter Pretoria on the afternoon of 4^th June 1900 to demand the surrender of the town from General Botha. He entered the city under the white flag and demanded they surrender under the name of Lord Roberts. They discussed it (in Dutch) while he was there, he then conducted the Governor of the city to Colonel de Lisle and the city surrendered. He then carried the Union Jack when the British Forces marched into the city. William also rescued a wounded trooper under heavy fire from the enemy. “It appears that during a rear-guard action which Lieutenant-Colonel Fanshawe had at Driefontein, Private T. C. Robertson of the N.S.W. Mounted Infantry, was wounded. Captain Watson saw the man fall, rode back to his assistance, and rescued him under very exciting conditions. The Boer fire was very heavy, but the plucky officer stood by the wounded soldier and carried him out of action on his (Watson’s) horse. Altogether, by his proved courage and ability, Captain Watson has added considerably to the reputation earned in actual warfare by Australian fighting men.” As quoted in the Australian Town and Country Journal of Sydney in 1901. The paper also carried a picture of him with the white flag before going into Pretoria. He saw nearly eighteen months active service and was awarded the Queens South Africa medal with five clasps and was Mentioned in Despatches. He was involved, under Major-General Hutton, in actions and operations in Orange Free State, Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Karee Siding and Vet and Zand Rivers. William served on the staff of Colonel De Lisle’s column from August 1900 to March 1901 and then in April and May he commanded the 2^nd New South Wales Mounted Infantry. He was Mentioned in the Despatch by Earl Roberts on 16^th April 1901 for the meritorious services he performed. He returned to Australia and disembarked on 1^st May 1901. After the war William still had the white handkerchief he used as a flag to enter Pretoria, by attaching it to his whip. It was signed by Lord Roberts and other Generals and the King expressed his desire to also sign it.

In 1902 he was appointed captain-in-charge of the New South Wales detachment if the Coronation Contingent at the crowning of King Edward VII.

On 7^th November 1904 he married Minnie Sarah Hordern in Woollahra, New South Wales. The ceremony was held at St Mark’s Church Darling Point by Reverend Willoughby Flower. Minnie’s parents were Samuel Hordern and Maria Jane Booth who had been married in Sydney in 1875. She was their third daughter. Samuel’s father, Anthony migrated from England and established a business which grew quite large. Samuel eventually ran the business and amassed a considerable amount of money and land. He was also very generous. It appears William and Minnie had no children.

On 6^th June 1905, Leonard Taylor was tried for stealing in a dwelling belonging to William and was sentenced to 9 months hard labour. What he stole is not noted. William was promoted to Major in 1905.

Military Orders in 1907 announced that, while in the First Australian Infantry Regiment, William passed the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and was probably the first Commonwealth officer to pass the test on the first attempt.

His mother, Emily, passed away on 22^nd July 1913 at Glen Gyle, Carlisle St Rose Bay.

In World War 1 he was in charge of the infantry battalion at Rabaul under Major General Holmes. He applied for a commission on 14^th August 1914 in what was then known as the Imperial Expeditionary Force No. 1. Previous military qualifications noted he was a Lieutenant-Colonel, late Officer Commanding 1^st Australian Infantry Regiment and had 20 years’ service including active service in South Africa 1900 to 1901. He did not have any civil employment, but was independent. His current address was “Yarroma” Holdsworth Avenue Elizabeth Bay Sydney and Minnie was his next of kin. He was 5 foot 8.5 inches tall, weighed 14 stone, had a chest measurement of 42 inches and had good eyesight. On appointment he was to be posted to Battalion Command. His position was gazetted on 19^th August. The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force was raised in August 1914 to seize German Pacific territories. They left Australia on A35 Berrima on 19^th August. By December they had secured many territories, but had also suffered loss of the first Australian soldier and Officer in the war. He returned to Australia in January with Colonel William Holmes and both gave evidence before a court of enquiry into looting by the AN&MEF. His Appointment was terminated on 6^th February 1915.

Photo taken September 1914.

Staff on board HMAT Berrima watching the disembarkment of the Australian Naval and Military Expedition Force at Kabakaul. From left to right: Colonel William Holmes, Lieutenant Colonel William Walker Russell Watson, Colonel John Paton, Captain Sydney Percival Goodsell.

William was put in charge of the 24^th Battalion in March 1915 and they reached Gallipoli on 5^th September. At Gallipoli he was temporarily put in charge of the Brigade for its landing as Colonel Richard Linton had died after his ship was torpedoed. He was Officer in Charge of his battalion at Lone Pine and commanded an evacuation party from the 6^th Brigade when they left the peninsula. He was appointed C. B. and Mentioned in Despatches for his work on Gallipoli.

William applied for a commission in the 3^rd Military District. The form was copied from the nominal roll of 26^th January 1916. It stated his present civil employment as a Gentleman and his next of kin was still Minnie, but C/o S. Horden and Son Ltd. Brickfield Hill, Sydney and that was given as his postal address as well. He was to be a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 24^th battalion. He commanded the 24th Battalion, which sailed from Egypt to France in March 1916. After arriving they moved into the line at Fleurbaix in France. He was wounded at Pozieres, near Albert, when a shell landed in their battalion headquarters in an old gun pit. William was the only one not killed. Base Records sent a letter to Minnie advising her William had been wounded, but they did not know what it was but stated it was not serious and without further notification would be assumed to be improving. She was given an address to write any letter to him. He resumed command on 12^th October.

Sent to England, he was put in charge of the 2^nd Division Training School. He resumed command of the 24^th Battalion in May 1917. In July he was sent to England to take charge of the 17^th Brigade and was appointed commandant of the Overseas Training Camp near Warminster in September.

On 1^st June 1918 he was promoted to Colonel.

He was appointed CMG on December 1918.

While in command of the camp at Sutton Very on Salisbury Plain, the camp was visited by William Hughes, the Australian Prime Minister, in mid-1918. Mr Hughes gave a speech to the camp, saying how impressed he was with them and they would prove themselves as had other Australian soldiers. “He was sure they would continue in their good work until Germany realised that war did not pay.”

He signed a form stating he had paid all known claims and accounts in UK or Europe and gave his address at Elizabeth Bay if there was still anything outstanding. It seems that many officers were embarking before paying their accounts which were being sent to AIF Headquarters. The Legion d’Honneur Chevalier was conferred by the President of the French Republic on 1920.

After the war, he was a director at the Cumberland Paper Mill. He also played golf at Kensington and was a member of the New South Wales Club and the Australian Golf Club. They were living in Elizabeth Bay by 1924. He was also involved with the National Party.

He had been ill for several weeks and apparently he caught a chill at General Finn’s funeral on the proceeding Thursday. William died in Jenner Private Hospital at Potts Point on 30^th June 1924 of septicaemia. The funeral service was held at St Mark’s Church, Darling Point at 10am. He was buried at South Head Church of England cemetery in Section N Row 10 Plot 398,399. The inscription reads: – CB. CMG. VD. My husb. Legion of Honour Colonel, 24 Inf. Batn. AIF. He left a widow, two brothers and four sisters. A coroner’s inquest was done on 7^th July 1924.

After William died, his wife Minnie married her Grandfather’s brother’s son, Doctor Herbert Vivian Horden in 1930 in Sydney. He must have divorced from his first wife as she did not die until 1938. But Minnie did not have long to live, passing away on 15^th August 1931.

In 1959 an enquiry to CARO was replied with stating William served in the Boer War as a Captain in the 1^st New South Wales Mounted Rifles and 14/18 War in 24^th Battalion and died 30^th June 1924.

William’s middle brother, Bourn Frederick Leo Watson (born 1881), served in the Boer War as Trooper 84 in the 2^nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles. He was entitled to the Queens South Africa medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, SA 1901 and SA 1902. He later moved to Canada and enlisted for the First World War in 1916 and fought in Europe. After the war he married Elizabeth Gilfillan in Vancouver on 7^th September 1918. He died in Saanich, B.C. on 29^th May 1956.

His other brother, David George Herbert Watson (born 1889) joined the 8^th Field Ambulance on 26^th May 1915 as Private 6675. He was a draughtsman who had previously served for 5 years with the 1st Regiment Australian Infantry. He was promoted to Corporal, then temporary Sergeant a couple of times during his service, and returned to Australia in 1919. David was entitled to a trio. In WW2 he served as Staff Sergeant N29134 in the 3^rd Australian Army Tank Ordnance Workshop. Presumably he was just entitled to the 1939-45 War medal and Australian Service medal. He died in 1958.

From ANZACS Online – “Typical of the better A.I.F. commanders, he was respected by his troops; he was intensely loyal to them, but would not tolerate those who sought to evade their responsibilities.”

William’s medals are Companion, The Most Honourable Order of the Bath; Companion, The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George; Queen South Africa medal with clasps Dreifontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittlebergen and Cape Colony; 1914-15 Star; British war Medal; Victory Medal with oak leaf; V D; and Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur.