4189281 Cpl William Christopher Watson - RWF 1930's

[ernest]

hi my grandmothers name was anna ignacio she didnt have time to marry my grandfather a he got deployed to india and then china-hongkong etc,when my dad was a baby basicly,my dads name is william ignacio as he wasnt in gib on that time for my dads birth certificate thats why everything is very compilicated,all i have is what you can read in this forum and photos i have on my profile and that letter that was send to my grandmother by the rwf office telling her he had moved place,i really wish i knew more

[ap1]

Thanks Sue, all help is gratefully received. To clarify:

1/ I don't think William and Anuita were married. Can you confirm Ernest?

2/ You need the name of Williams mother?…or Ernest's mother? Can you confirm please Sue.

I have access to Ancestry, so we can also utilise that.

Thanks again

Al

Can someone supply Ernests fathers first names and year of birth. Also Williams wifes names.I tried FreeBMD but all variations on Annita/Anuita don't appear for marriages.Also FreeBMD is very busy today so painful searches! Does Ernest know if they married abroad?

Can he supply anything about his grandparents? Perhaps I have missed th original question. Using BMD is a very good way of tracing backwards.
In 1912 the registers started to add the mothers surname to birth records.

There is mention of a sister born about 2 years before or after.What is her first name? I now see that it was his mother-so need her name/s and his fathers year of birth.

The most information to start with would be given by William and Anitas marriage certificate.This should give both their fathers names and occupations and then we can look up again in 1911 census. If any other siblings names are known or the death dates of William and Anita that will give clues.I hope that this helps! I am prepared to do look ups if more info is supplied.

I cannot see how to save this message so that I can search the thread.I highlighted and copied and then pasted back which saved alot of time.

Sue

[susanjane]

We need any dates or names that can be supplied but it doesn't sound too hopeful.

Have you tried photos and an item in Welsh newspapers OR in a Genealogy Magazine.He has a distinctive face.It seems highly likely that he married again and forgot about his young son.

He presumably served again in WW2 unless he became a coal miner or seaman.Would his Service Records carry on from RWF to any new Regiment?

Unless he managed to change his identity-not easy with wartime beaurocracy-then his death or marriage might be findable on FreeBMD.
Sue

[susanjane]

I see that the letter to Anna was dated early in 1938 and says that he has left the RWF and is on the Army Reserve.Presumably still at the beck and call of RWF because he is also said to be still on their strength until 1941.

Re the death of William Christopher Watson aged 49 in Dec 1960 in Birmingham-I have found his will where he leaves his wife as executor.He left £9,000 -quite a tidy sum in those days.They married in Jun quarter 1939 when he would have been 28. His age fits in with the West Bromwich birth and 1911 census.His parents were only 21 -a hairdresser-and 20 but married 3 years and with 2 living children.Only W C aged 2 months is shown though. I checked their marriage and found mention of his mother on some genealogy sites.Which I can try to follow up if needed.
My father entered the Guards aged about 15/16 in about 1930.Might Watson have entered similiarly?After serving with Essex Police in 1930's my father went back into the Guards in 1940 then after commissioning he went into RASC. The trail might be similiar.But why join the RWF unless there was some family link to Wales.
Of course the RWF might have been recruiting in Birmingham and he joined up then.Are there any Recruitment drive documents ?I believe one of you mentioned Enlistment Rolls.

I wonder whether Anna said that she had a child and the Adjutant who replied was covering up for him.Did the family actually manage to find him in Swansea at that address and then he disappeared?I imagine that they wrote at least.Then no reply?

Sue

[ivor43]

Hi
There is a strong Welsh Presence in Birmingham. as this link shows

http://www.birminghamwelsh.org.uk/

I know that a lot of Welsh went to the Cities for work my Fathers family are from Lansanan, Denbighshire. But he was born Liverpool. So i do not find it odd that Men from that area would join the RWF.


ivor

[Baconwallah]

Birmingham always had a strong presence in the RWF. In 1914, about 20% of the Regulars were Brummies.

The Enlistment Register, property of the RWF Museum but probably now in the care of the Wrexham Museum archivist, starts in 1920 or thereabouts. It will provide some basic information about William Christopher Watson.

John

[susanjane]

Thanks John and Ivor--that explains why a Brummy might be in the RWF.

I have started to see if WC 's father William Joseph was a War casualty or has a MIC.He was only 21 in 1911 census.

I forgot to add that there are several children born between 1940 and 1956, possibly to the William C and his wife who married in 1939 , but none in Birmingham. I used fathers name Watson and the mothers maiden name.I also tried to follow them up on BMD but haven't got anywhere.I would think that there are up to 3 different marriages with those 2 surnames.Or they moved around a lot!

Sue

[ap1]

Wouldn't it be worthwhile looking at the Swansea area first? As per the address in the 1939 letter. It might be a red herring, but worth a punt. We have a man who fits from Neath:

screenshot62.jpg

[susanjane]

Yes I agree-- but I decided to try the Wills and Probate section on Ancestry and came up with the/a Birmingham William Christopher Watson so researched that line.
I have now looked at the 1911 census for Neath and come up with 2 families who might have added to their family in late 1911. I also looked at Watson and Jones Marriages from 1900.Only his birth cert will help us.

I think that the enlistment Registers should be the next research.Some of you might be able to do that!

Sue

[ernest]

im really sorry i cant help with dates wish i could,tomorrow i will pop in again to my dads to see if he remembers anything else,i have a photo with a few names written behind of friends of him,but i cant post it here it doesnt let me