FAMILY LIFE

There is not enough information to identify William Watson’s family

APPLICATION

William Watson was single farmer, living in Dunbible, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 6^th November 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his mother, Caline, of Dunbible. His medical showed he was 21 years 7 months old, 5ft 4 ½ inches tall (1.63m), weighed 130 lbs (59 kgs), with a fair complexion, grey eyes & fair hair. His eyesight was good. William was Church of England.  He was enlisted as a private into the 31^st Infantry Battalion – 12^th Reinforcements with service No 4619

31^st INFANTRY BATTALION

The 31st was raised in August 1915 as part of the 8th Brigade & it joined the 5th Australian Division in Egypt before heading to the Western Front in France in 1916. The 31st Infantry Battalion's legacy is marked by its resilience, bravery, and dedication to its missions. Its history is preserved through memorials and historical records, ensuring its contributions are remembered and honoured

ENOGGERA TRAINING CAMP

All 31^st Btn recruits attended the training camp at Rifle Camp, Enoggera. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together. They only spent a short time there before heading overseas. Here, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague, then a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order.

William received his inoculations on 7^th, 11^th & 22^nd November 1917 VOYAGE OVERSEAS

On the 23^rd December 1916, the recruits left Sydney, sailing upon the HMAT Demosthenes. They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. Attempts at breaking up the boredom, apart from the regular drill, varied. Shipboard activities included regular church parades and concerts. Troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection. Sports and recreation included boxing, deck quoits, draughts. Also, the commanding officer's morning inspection; kit inspections; submarine drill; recreation such as the on deck 'open air' library, deck billiards, pillow fighting and card games including Nap. As well, conditions on the ships were cramped and the risk of illness was constant. 

HOSPITALISATION- PHARYNGITIS JANUARY 1917

Whilst on the ship, William contacted Pharyngitis on 26^th January 1917. A sore throat, or pharyngitis, is when your throat is red, swollen, and painful, especially when you swallow. It happens when the back of the throat, called the pharynx, is inflamed. This type of disease was common due to the crowding of the men. He spent 5 days in the ship’s hospital and was discharged on 30^th January 1917

HURDCOTT TRAINING CAMP

They disembarked at Plymouth on 3^rd March 1917 and were marched into the training camp at Hurdcott. Now training for the new recruits began. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training would take several months

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE

The recruits left England for France on 12^th October 1917 & taken on strength on 18^th October. Here the men would be fighting in trenches. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats

The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:

·      Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.

·      Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.

·      Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.

The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite.

BETWEEN BATTLES

The 31^st had just finished the Battle of Polygon Wood when William joined them. Unlike some AIF battalions, the 31st had a relatively quiet time during the German Spring Offensive of 1918 as the 5th Division was largely kept in reserve. Between battles, battalions engaged in a variety of critical activities to recover, prepare, and maintain their effectiveness. Some of the key activities included rest & recovery, continuing their training, maintaining their weapons & uniforms, building & reinforcing the trenches & dugouts & barbed wire defences

They also conducted patrols and reconnaissance to gather intelligence on enemy movements and maintain control over no-man's-land & engaged in activities like writing letters, playing games, and sharing stories to bond as a unit and maintain their spirits. This downtime between battles was essential for ensuring that battalions could perform effectively when called back into action.

HOSPITALISATION- PUO MAY 1918

On 6^th May 1918 William was diagnosed with trench fever also known as PUO (Pyrexia of unknown origin). Human louse was rife in the trenches of the Western Front. It was the cause of much discomfort to the troops who found it almost impossible to get rid of them. But the body louse did cause another disease that became to be known as 'Trench Fever'. The body louse was infected by biting a soldier suffering from Trench Fever. The infected soldier did not show any signs, or symptoms, for anything from a week to a month, when a severe head-ache developed with debilitating muscle pains; characteristically of the shins - hence the commonly used alternative name 'Shin-bone Fever'. With a duration of around five days, the fever went into remission and often reoccurred one or more times. There was no effective treatment for Trench Fever other than bed-rest. William was transferred to Central Military Hospital, Winchester & discharged on 24^th June 1918 after 43 days in hospital.

SUTTON VENEY COMMAND POST

He was marched into the command post at Sutton Veney.  Here he would convalesce but continue with drilling & training as the technology and techniques were rapidly changing and soldiers had to be up to date when they were ready to rejoin their units.

HOSPITALISATION GONORRHOEA JULY 1918

On 4^th July 1918 he was admitted to hospital with Gonorrhoea & discharged on 26^th September 1918 after 24 days in hospital. During that time, on 13^th August he went AWL until 1.30pm on 14^th August. He was awarded confined to camp for 3 days & forfeited 1 day’s pay.

OVERSES TRAINING LONGBRIDGE DEVERILL

He was then marched into the Overseas Training Longbridge Deverill on 10^th October 1918. This depot was for those ill or injured that were deemed fit enough to resume active service were then sent from the Command Depots to the Overseas Training Brigade to harden them up for life back in the trenches. During that time, he had his teeth attended to on 5^th October 1918 & 10^th October 1918.

WAR ENDED

The end of the war was in sight and on 11th November the fighting was officially over so he prepared to return to Australia. After the Armistice, the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes insisted Australian troops be repatriated (returned home) as quickly as possible. This logistical challenge was enormous with 135,000 troops brought home from Britain in 147 voyages, and 16,773 troops from the Middle East in 56 voyages, mostly on a first come, first go basis. There was a lack of suitable ships to transport personnel home and many had to wait several months before they were headed back to Australia.  William returned to Australia per Port Melbourne, disembarking on 20^th August 1919.

FOR HIS SERVICE

He was discharged on 30^th September 1919. For his service, William was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

---

If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.

We do not have any additional documents or pictures related to this individual.