Henry Watts

Rank 
Private
Regiment 
Royal Sussex Regiment
Date of death 
27 November 1917
Age of death 
26
Address 
Melrose Villa
Maybank Road
South Woodford
Woodford
E18 1ER
Address source 
1911 Census
Cemetery / Memorial 
France
Biography 

Born in 1891 at Woodford, son of Edward (General Bricklayers Labourer) and Elizabeth Watts 1891: Aged 1 month, with his family at 1 Crescent Road, South Woodford. 1901: A Scholar with his family at 4 Maybank Road, South Woodford. 1911: A House Painter, living with his family at Melrose Villa, Maybank Road, South Woodford. The family home later moved to 120 West Grove, Snakes Lane, Woodford Green.

In 1917, Henry married Matilda Jenkinson, and her home was later shown as 53 Shernhall Street, Walthamstow.

There is some uncertainty over his Battalion and service number. His medal card records 13th Battalion, the CWGC 2nd Battalion. The service number above might correspond with the 13 Royal Sussex, but G/5529 belonged to a Herbert Chalton of 2 Royal Sussex who died on 6th December 1917.

In any event, both 2 & 13 Royal Sussex had been engaged in the Second Battle of Passchendaele which officially ended on 10th November 1917. It may have been in action then or shortly afterwards, that Henry Watts sustained the wounds which would cost him his life in the Military Hospital facilities at Abbeville.

X/R: Private William Horace Watts (Brother)

Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian

Sources:

Ancestry.com