Tyne Cot Memorial
Tyne Cot Memorial: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Roger Moffat Watts was born at Hetton, County Durham in 1888, the eldest son and one of 6 children of whom only 4 survived, his sibling Charlotte Ann was born 1893, Mary Jane 1896 and Thomas 1906. His father coal miner Thomas Watts born at Hetton, married in 1883, district of Houghton-le-Spring, to Barbara Purvis, native of South Shields, Northumberland, both were born in 1864. Barbara had been employed by Roger’s parents John and Ann Watts whilst they were living at 183, Victoria Row, South Shields as a servant.
Roger Jnr and his mother can be found in 1891 living as visitors at the house of Roger Moffatt, 8, Cone Street, South Shields, by 1901 Thomas, Barbara and family were living just off Victoria Terrace, Roger now 13 was still a scholar. His father in 1911 continued to be employed as a coal miner, sister Charlotte Ann at the age of 15 years was an apprentice dressmaker, the youngest Thomas Jnr, a scholar. Roger had left the family home, to supplement their income they had taken in a boarder Joseph Frank Hogg also employed at the colliery as a keeler above ground.
Roger had not only left home but had moved to Lincolnshire, he married in the district of Glandford Brigg in 1910 Beatrice Ellen Windle born August 5th 1887 at Barton-On-Humber, Lincolnshire, baptised August 28th at St. Mary’s Church. After their marriage they moved back to County Durham setting up home at 2, St. Aidan Terrace, Deaf Hill, Trimdon Station, where Roger was employed at the colliery as a waggon-way-man below ground. Beatice gave birth to their daughter Ada E. Watts in 1912 registered in the district of Sedgefield, County Durham.
August 1914 Roger Watts enlisted at Stockton-on-Tess assigned as Private 3118 to the 1/5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry which upon the declaration of war with Germany had been recalled to Stockton from its annual training camp in North Wales with the Northumbrian Division. Over the next 9 months the battalion’s part time volunteer soldiers, formed into four companies, were trained at Gateshead and Ravensworth for full time service overseas. When the main body of men departed for the Western Front, April 18th 1915 Private Watts was not amongst them, he did not depart until 1916. Unfortunately, his military record no longer exists, one of the 70% destroyed during the blitz of WW2, it is therefore impossible to know his exact movements.
Private Watts was eventually transferred to the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, attached to the 23rd Division as Private 203055. During late June 1916 they were transferred south to the Somme and entered the fighting at La Boiselle, July 7th 1916 and by late July early August the battalion was involved in fighting around Munster Alley east of Pozieres. After spending the rest of August in reserve at Armentieres they returned to the Somme joining the attack on Le Sars, after the fighting they were moved to the Ypres salient in Belgium.
July 7th 1917 they were in trenches at Klein-Zillebeke and were in action again in September during the Third Battle of Ypres in the fighting on the Menin Road, at Polygon Wood and at the First and Second Battles of Passchendaele.
Private 203055 Roger M. Watts Durham Light Infantry was killed in action October 12th 1917, the first day of the First Battle of Passchendaele. His sacrifice is recorded on the Memorial to the Missing which forms the stone wall surrounding Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, near Ypres, Belgium, commemorating those who died after August 15th 1917 on the Ypres salient who have no known grave, panel 128-131. He was 29 years old.
His widow Beatrice received all monies due to him, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal and a pension for herself and their daughter. Beatrice Ellen Watts nee Windle returned to her home county, she did not remarry and died during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1975 in the district of Scunthorpe, Humberside, Lincolnshire aged 88 years. Daughter Ada E Watts married at Glandford Brigg, Lincolnshire, during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1937 to Cyril E Robinson with whom she had 3 children, Donald C. Robinson born 1939, Beryl P. 1945 and Malcolm D. in 1949.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Roger Moffat Watts is remembered at Trimdon Station on T66.01 and T66.02 and at Trimdon Village on T58.07
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 282
