| Regimental number | 15056 |
| Date of birth | |
| Place of birth | Christchurch |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Publisher |
| Marital status | Married |
| Age at embarkation | 30 |
| Height | 5' 7.5" |
| Weight | 135 lbs |
| Next of kin | Wife, Mrs R Watts, 181 St Asaph Street, Christchurch |
| Previous military service | Served in Imperial Rifles, Christchurch; not serving in any military unit at time of NZEF enlistment. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Trentham |
| Rank on embarkation | Corporal |
| Unit name | New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 14th Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Battalion, C Company |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Wellington on |
| Members of 14th Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Battalion, C Company, left Wellington on two ships, 'Maunganui' and 'Tahiti'. It is not possible to determine from the Nominal Roll on which ship an individual embarked. | |
| Final rank | Lance Sergeant |
| Final unit | 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | Tyne Cot Memorial (New Zealand Apse, Panel No 2), Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Wife: Mrs R.W. Watts, Parnell, Auckland |
| Other details |
No Form B103 on file. War service: Western Front Proceeded overseas to France from England, 30 October 1916; joined 1st Bn, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, in the field, 13 October 1916, and posted to 1st Company. Promoted Corporal, 4 February 1917. Detached to Brigade School, 11 August 1917; rejoined unit, 21 August 1917. Appointed Lance Sergeant (paid), 20 August 1917. Wounded in action, 12 October 1917. Court of Enquiry, 24 January 1918, concluded: 'Now reported wounded and missing, believed dead.' Statement, 6/4634 Pte H. McCarthy, stated: 'I saw L'Sgt. Watts wounded in the face by bullet on morning of Oct. 12th. Later in afternoon I saw him moving back towards Dressing Station. I know nothing more of what happened to him.'MBV |
| Sources | Nominal Roll Vol. 2: Roll 34, p. 9 Archives New Zealand (Wellington), Agency AABK, Series 18805, File 22017069 |