FAMILY LIFE

There is not enough information to identify William Watson’s family. His attestation states he was born in the Richmond River area in c1895

ATTESTATION

William 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. He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER

On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”

OATH

He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, William Watson, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

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.  

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CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER

The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training. Willoiam was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 26^th November 1916. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him 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 SYDNEY TO ENGLAND DECEMBER 1916

On the 21^st December the men boarded the troop train bound for Sydney and on the 23^rd December 1916, the recruits left Sydney, sailing upon the HMAT Demosthenes. Alongside his comrades, he marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” 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. On the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.

Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.

DAILY ROUTINE

Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.

MEALS

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.

HEALTH & SANITATION

Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.

THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE

Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. In an attempt to keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.

The 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

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.

EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board

ENGLAND

About a fortnight later the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.

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. During an interim period, soldiers typically:

·      Recovered from the voyage: After long sea travel from Australia, troops needed time to rest and regain strength.

·      Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.

·      Received equipment and uniforms: This included British-issued gear better suited to the Western Front.

·      Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.

·      Drilled lightly: They performed light drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for formal training slots to open.

Training involved trench warfare techniques, bayonet drills, live fire exercises, gas mask use, and coordination with British units.

Their accommodation was tents or wooden huts, often cold, damp, and muddy — especially in the British summer/autumn. The weather was very different from Australia-wet, overcast conditions were common, and many Australians found the climate miserable compared to home.

The parade grounds, rifle ranges, gas training areas, bayonet fighting pits, and mock trench systems were built to simulate battlefield conditions. The training included the use and maintenance of the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle, grenade throwing (often live grenades) & Lewis Gun handling and section tactics

Regular drilling included building and occupying practice trenches, night operations and trench raids & rotations simulating life under shellfire and gas attack.

Gas Warfare Training was very important and they were trained in the use of PH-type gas helmets and box respirators & drills in gas chambers using low concentrations of chlorine or phosgene to acclimate soldiers.

Close-combat techniques using bayonets — aggressive training with thrusts, parries, and charges were held

Tactical training included understanding platoon and company movements & signals training (flags, lamps, runners).

The recruits’ daily life began early with reveille at dawn, PT, then drills. Route marches in full kit were common — often 10–15 miles across the chalky countryside. Evenings often included lectures or maintenance. Pay parades, church services, and mail from home offered some morale boosts however the cold, wet conditions were physically hard, and sickness was common (influenza, bronchitis, trench foot-like conditions).

Use of Mills bombs and defensive bombing techniques in dugouts or trench corners was carried & section-level manoeuvres with live ammunition — dangerous but essential for battlefield realism

Training at Hurdcott was tough, realistic, and intense. It forged untested Australian recruits into soldiers ready for the horrors of trench warfare on the Western Front. While some men found it exhausting and bleak, it undoubtedly helped save lives once they reached the trenches of either Gallipoli or the Western Front. Training would normally last 3 months

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE

TAKEN ON STRENGTH OCTOBER 1917

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. The sense of adventure, the loneliness, and the loss of family life that overwhelmed many of the overseas volunteers during the First World War often found them on leave in large cities or small towns where alcohol and women were plentiful, and a lack of available prophylaxis allowed the spread of diseases such as gonorrhoea and syphilis to reach epidemic levels. Historians claim that the average incidence rate for this disease in the AIF was around 12 per cent

Treatment for venereal disease in the Australian Imperial Force during WWI primarily involved hospitalisation, strict rest, and medical therapies available at the time. Soldiers were often treated with salvarsan (an arsenic-based compound) or mercury-based preparations, which were administered by injection or topical application. These treatments aimed to cure the infection but could be uncomfortable and required careful monitoring due to side effects. In addition to drug therapy, patients were given regular medical inspections, hygiene instruction, and restrictions on activity until fully recovered. Lengthy stays in hospital—often several weeks or months—were common, as doctors ensured soldiers were no longer infectious and fit to return to duty. He was discharged on 26^th September 1918 after 24 days in hospital.

 

 

DISCIPLINED AUGUST 1917

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. 

SELECTING TROOPS FOR REPATRIATION QUOTAS

As for how the troops would be returned, several challenges existed.

Initially, the Australian Government wanted military units to be returned as regiments. It was clear that the feeling amongst troops was for them to return on a 'first in, first out' basis. Hughes viewed the length of service as the key criterion.

By late December 1918, Monash urged that the criteria for demobilisation were to be:

·      length of service

·      family responsibilities

·      assured employment

Those who had served on Gallipoli would go home first. This was agreed in principle, with some conditions to give flexibility. For example, some men not meeting the three criteria could be returned earlier if they were 'pivotal' to the needs of Australian industry. With the policy agreed on, Monash developed the process by which troops were sent home.

AIF Divisions created quotas of 1000 men who met the three criteria and organised them as 'battalions' to be shipped home at the right time. The battalions were roughly the right size for transportation on trains and ships.

To maintain morale amongst the troops, quotas typically included:

·      a brass band

·      some recreation and education staff

As ships appeared on the docks, quotas were ordered to fill them. Then the ships returned to Australia

GOING HOME AUGUST 1919

William returned to Australia per Port Melbourne, disembarking on 20^th August 1919.

CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION

Badges Hat                    Badges Collar (2)                    Bags kit universal

Bags kit sea                   Braces (pair)                            Brush, shaving

Brush, tooth                  Breeches M.S (Military service)

Cap comforter (warm cap)                                           Comb, hair

Disc identity with cord                                                  Drawers (2 pairs)

Great Coat                     Hat, Khaki fur                          Hat, white

Holdall                           Housewife (compact sewing kit)

Jackets Cardigan           Jackets S.D (service dress)

Leggings 1 pair             Laces, leather 1 pair

Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions

Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection 

for the lower leg)

Razor                              Shirts, flannel (2)                   Socks, 3 pairs

Singlets (2)

Strap chin                      Soap piece                               Suit, working

Towels, hand (2)

Titles “Australia” (4)- Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged

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

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