WATSON, Harold - 276347, WX5013

Original items held by a member of the community

Pte Harold Watson

Conflict	World War 2
Service Arm	Citizen Military Force Australian Imperial Force
Unit	13th Brigade Army Service Corps 11th Battalion 2/28th Infantry Battalion
Service No.	276347, WX5013
Service Arm	Army
Date of Birth	26 Nov 1916
Birthplace	Perth, WA
Residence	Perth, WA
Date of Death	4 Sep 1960
Relatives	Father - William John Watson Brother - WATSON, Thomas John - WX7307 Brother - WATSON, John Charles - W8663, WX14539 Brother - WATSON, Clive Lawley - 5400164 Brother - WATSON, Arthur - 5/1241 Brother - WATSON, William Simpson - W13120, WX10681 Brother - WATSON, Leslie Joseph - WX16573

Harold served with the CMF 11th Battalion before the outbreak of WW2. These are photos of his Battalion.

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Certificate of Discharge from the Army Service Corps.

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Christmas 1941 card sent home to the family.

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  Harold with an Indian soldier

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  the front at Hebron Hills

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  Harold with ROUSE, Thomas Joseph - WX5963

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Attestation documents

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Harold managed to keep his address book with him during his time in the POW camps. He lists the contact details of his friends along with a few notes.

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Click on this link for a transcription Harold Watson notebook

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Harold was captured by the Italians when his Battalion was surrounded and sent to the Benghazi POW Camp in Libya. He spent time at Altamura Camp and Udine 57 Camp before being transported to POW camp 106 in Northern Italy. Camp 106 was a cluster of work farm camps where the soldiers worked in the surrounding rice fields and were guarded by the Italian Army. He escaped through Switzerland on 11th September 1943.

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  taken while at Camp 106

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  Recovered POW Rolls

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The Red Cross held welcome home events for the repatriated soldiers.

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Correspondence with the Army Medals Section regarding the issue of medals to family members.

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