Watson, Frederick William
Production date
1906-1917
1900-1909
1910-1919
Description
Frederick Watson, son of F.H. Watson, of Bulls (and great-grandson of Josiah and Ann Flight), was educated at Christchurch Boys High (1904-1906?) and Canterbury College (1907-1908?). On leaving school he entered the Lands and Survey Department, Wellington (1908), and was later transferred to Auckland (1909?).
Having joined the Auckland Infantry 2nd Lieutenant F.W.Watson, 12/1020, was M.I.D. from Gallipoli (December 1915) and was awarded the D.C.M. for the action at Chunuk Bair, 7 August 1915. He joined the Machine Gunners in January 1917 and was killed at the battle of Messines (France) on 7 July 1917, aged twenty-six years.
The papers consist of letters to members of his family 1906-1917, including those while on active service, diaries 1908-1912, and associated ephemera.
Object detail
1900-1909
1910-1919
Part 1
1. Letters to Cuth from F. W. Watson. July 1908 - April 1913
2. Letters from F. W. Watson to his mother Mrs F. H. Watson. 1908, Jan. 1909 - Dec. 1909. Earliest letters describe travelling in the Awakino and Waikawau areas.
3. Letters from F. W. Watson to his mother Mrs F. H. Watson. Jan. 1910 - Dec. 1910. Includes descriptions of surveying in the Matata area
4. Letters from F. W. Watson to his mother Mrs F. H. Watson. Jan. 1911 - Oct. 1911. Includes surveying in the Thames area
5. Letters from F. W. Watson to his mother Mrs F. H. Watson. Jan. 1917 - May 1917. Letters sent from active service in France and at Officer Training, England
6. Letters to F. W. Watson from N. Briscoe, 23. 4. 1909 ; K. Flight, 19. 1. 1911 ; J. Carroll 24. 7. 1911
7. Letters to F. W. Watson from E. C. Goldsmith, Commissioner of Crown Lands re employment. 1910 - 1911
8. Letters from F. W. Watson to Aunt Kate. 6. 7. 1911 ; Portion of letter 1911?
9.Diaries. 1908 daily entries while at Wellington. ; 1909 daily entries, Auckland ; 1910 daily entries, Auckland and Matata ; 1911 daily entries, Matata, Te Kuiti, Ongarue ; 1912 daily entries Ongarue, Te Kuiti
10. Letters from F. W. Watson to his mother Mrs F. H. Watson. 1906 - 1907. Written from Christchurch Boys' High School. School report for F. W. Watson. 1904
11.Telegram from F. W. Watson re commission and money.
13. Page from Roll of Honour with photograph of Watson ; Obituary.
14. Army report on war record of F. W. Watson.
Letter from Returned Effects Distribution Department to Mr F. H. Watson re canvas packet sent by post. 3 Jan. 1918
Photograph of F. W. Watson March 1917.
Certificate of appointment as second lieutenant into New Zealand Land Forces. 24 July 1917.
Photograph presentation of D.C.M. to F. W. Watson
Certificate of service in the Expeditionary Forces 1914 - 1918
List of objects held in Social History Collection, Puke Ariki. 3 Apr. 2002
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