1st December 1917

“Old Contemptible,” Sergeant David Jesse Watts MM, 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, died of wounds at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, near Southampton on 1st December 1917, aged 29.

David Jesse Watts was the sixth of eight children born to parents, George and Sophia Watts (née Phillips). George Watts, a bricklayer’s labourer, was from Gloucestershire but had moved to the Midlands by the 1870s. Although recorded on census returns as married to Sophia (née Phillips), who was from Knowle, it doesn’t seem that they married until 1915.

They appear to have moved around Staffordshire and Warwickshire – their first child, Mary Ann Elizabeth Watts, was born in Burslem, Staffordshire in 1876. Their second child, Georgina Matilda Watts, was born in Balsall Heath, Birmingham in 1878. By the time of the birth of their third child, Charles Jesse Watts (1881-1883) the family was living in Solihull, and they are recorded as living at Streetsbrook on the 1881 census.

They were still in Solihull when their fourth child, George William Watts, was baptised at St Alphege Church in 1882 and when their next four children were born – Edith Esther (1884-1957), David Jesse (1887-1917), John (born 1888) and Lily (born in Olton End in 1890). The family was living in Birmingham Road, Olton End at the time of the 1891 census. The last child, Basil Edgar Charles Watts (1891-1915) was born in Hay Mills and was missing, presumed killed in action, in 1915 at the Battle of Loos serving with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

All of George and Sophia Watts’ four sons served in the First World War. Basil and David were killed but the other two brothers both survived the war. Private George William Watts served with the Machine Gun Corps and was gassed and wounded. Private John Mills served with the Labour Battalion.

David Watts grew up in Hay Mills and attended Red Hill Council School. The family was still in Hay Mills by the time of the 1901 census, although 14-year-old David was living at Marley Hall, Ledbury and working as a carter’s boy for farmer, Walter Betteridge.

In 1904, David Jesse Watts, aged 17, appeared before Birmingham Police Court, charged with attempting to commit suicide, having swallowed carbolic acid. A police officer administered an emetic and took him to hospital. Asked why he had tried to take his own life, David replied: “I had the toothache, and was vexed over some birds.” Upon promising not to repeat the attempt, he was discharged.

David enlisted as a regular soldier c.1906 and first entered a theatre of war on 5th November 1914. He was wounded in March 1915. On 23rd August 1916, the London Gazette announced that he had been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field. Reporting the death of this “Hay Mill Hero”, the Birmingham Gazette 16th January 1918 said that he had stoutly refused to say anything about the gallantry which prompted the award, declaring that “if the British soldier on leave had kept his mouth shut our casualty lists would not have been so large.”

We don’t know when he was wounded but it’s possible that it was around April 1917, as military papers indicate an increase in pension from this time. He was invalided back to England and sent to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, Hampshire where he died of wounds. His family must have paid to have his body returned to Birmingham, otherwise he would have been buried in Hampshire.

He was buried with full military honours at Yardley Cemetery.

If you have any further information on Sergeant Watts, please let us know.

Tracey
Heritage & Local Studies Librarian
The Core Library, Solihull
email: heritage@solihull.gov.uk