WATTS, Frank Reginald
| Service Number: | 812 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 4th Machine Gun Battalion |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 812, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 812, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 30 Jun 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Captain, 812, 4th Machine Gun Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
Lt Watts, an engine driver from Murwillumbah, New South Wales, enlisted as 812 Private Watts in the 15th Battalion and embarked from Melbourne on 22 December 1914 aboard HMAT Ceramic (A40) for Egypt. His battalion landed at Gallipoli where he served throughout the campaign with a promotion to Sergeant (Sgt) in early October 1915. After the battalion was withdrawn to Egypt, Sgt Watts was transferred to the 4th Machine Gun Company where he was promoted to Company Sergeant Major and then to Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt). His unit relocated to the Western Front, France in early June 1916 and three months later he was promoted to Lieutenant (Lt). Lt Watts was posted to England in late December 1916 to form a new machine gun company before returning to the Western Front in mid-November 1917 when he joined the 24th Machine Gun Company (later 4th Machine Gun Battalion). He was awarded a Mention in Despatches on 7 April 1918. Lt Watts was wounded in action on 8 August 1918 and was evacuated to England for treatment and recuperation before rejoining his unit on 10 October 1918 and promotion to Captain two weeks later. Capt Watts returned to Australia in April 1919 and was discharged on 30 June 1919.
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