Pvt. William Watt # 235174 was born July 9, 1892 to James and Eliza Kinch Watt in Drummond Township, ON beside the William and Robert McLaren families. He was the ninth of twelve children including Margaret, Elizabeth, Frances, John, Mary, James, Stewart, Richard, Alice, Clarence, and Ena. By 1901, his family moved to Wolford Township beside the Francis Kyle and George Phillips families. William Lloyd was still living with his parents on the farm in 1911 beside the Francis Kyle family.
Pvt. Watt enlisted as one of four brothers on June 3, 1916 in Moose Jaw, SK at the age of 22 and joined the 203rd battalion. He listed his father James Watt of Merrickville, ON as his next of kin, his occupation as farmer and his religion as Methodist. He was 5’7, 38” chest, single, blue eyes and fair hair and a scar above his left eye. He listed Aneroid, SK as his address. His medals, decorations and Memorial Cross went to his mother and his plaque and scroll went to his father. He also wrote a will on April 12, 1917 leaving everything to his mother, Eliza.
Pvt Watt sailed on the SS Grampian on Oct 26, 1916 from Halifax, landing in Liverpool and then going to Seaford to join the 18th Reserve Battalion. On April 25, 1917 he was assigned to the 44th battalion and left for France. He had been with his brother, Richard, the entire time until now.
The 44th battalion gathered on June 3 and both companies went over the top at 11:50pm. Both companies suffered highly severe losses due to machine gun fire and only had two small groups reach the objective where they were quickly surrounded and captured after experiencing heavy artillery fire.. It was noted that La Coulotte appears to have a very strong garrison in it. No gains were made as a result of this attack.
Pvt. Watt died June 3, 1917 while with the 44th battalion while attacking at La Coulotte. His body was never recovered and is memorialized at the Vimy Memorial.The Vimy Memorial overlooks the Douai Plain from the highest point of Vimy Ridge. Located north of Arras in France, the Vimy Memorial is Canada’s largest overseas National Memorial. It commemorates more than 11,000 men of the Canadian Expeditionary Force killed during the First World War in France and who have no known grave. Many of them died in the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
He is also memorialized on his parent’s gravesite at Merrickville Union Cemetery with his brother Richard Norman. He is commemorated on page 346 of the Book of Remembrance.
Pvt. Watt enlisted as one of four brothers on June 3, 1916 in Moose Jaw, SK at the age of 22 and joined the 203rd battalion. He listed his father James Watt of Merrickville, ON as his next of kin, his occupation as farmer and his religion as Methodist. He was 5’7, 38” chest, single, blue eyes and fair hair and a scar above his left eye. He listed Aneroid, SK as his address. His medals, decorations and Memorial Cross went to his mother and his plaque and scroll went to his father. He also wrote a will on April 12, 1917 leaving everything to his mother, Eliza.
Pvt Watt sailed on the SS Grampian on Oct 26, 1916 from Halifax, landing in Liverpool and then going to Seaford to join the 18th Reserve Battalion. On April 25, 1917 he was assigned to the 44th battalion and left for France. He had been with his brother, Richard, the entire time until now.
The 44th battalion gathered on June 3 and both companies went over the top at 11:50pm. Both companies suffered highly severe losses due to machine gun fire and only had two small groups reach the objective where they were quickly surrounded and captured after experiencing heavy artillery fire.. It was noted that La Coulotte appears to have a very strong garrison in it. No gains were made as a result of this attack.
Pvt. Watt died June 3, 1917 while with the 44th battalion while attacking at La Coulotte. His body was never recovered and is memorialized at the Vimy Memorial.The Vimy Memorial overlooks the Douai Plain from the highest point of Vimy Ridge. Located north of Arras in France, the Vimy Memorial is Canada’s largest overseas National Memorial. It commemorates more than 11,000 men of the Canadian Expeditionary Force killed during the First World War in France and who have no known grave. Many of them died in the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
He is also memorialized on his parent’s gravesite at Merrickville Union Cemetery with his brother Richard Norman. He is commemorated on page 346 of the Book of Remembrance.