Frederick Samuel Watson

A Private with 7th Canadian Mounted Rifles, Frederick died on 27th of November 1918 at the age of 25. 

Frederick was born at Lowestoft on 18 August 1893, a son of Frederick James and Caroline Elizabeth Watson. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft, on 13 September 1893, and his family lived at 21 Cathcart Street, Lowestoft. In 1911 Frederick was a labourer working for a fish curer. 

By 1915 Frederick was living in Canada. He was working as a labourer when he enlisted in the 7th Canadian Mounted Rifles, at Toronto, on 5 February 1915, and arrived in England later that month. 

He was taken on strength of the Canadian Cavalry Depot, Canterbury, on 25 April 1915, and the Depot at Shorncliffe, England, on 12 June 1916. He joined the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Reserve Regiment), at Shorncliffe, on 2 July 1916. 

On 6 July 1917 Frederick was transferred to the Canadian Reserve Cavalry Regiment at Shorncliffe. On 24 July 1916 a medical board determined that Frederick was not going to be fit for overseas service due to chronic suppurative Otitis Media double and, thereafter, was assigned to Base duties. He suffered other medical problems and underwent various periods in hospital:

20 May 1917 Canadian Military Hospital, Etchinghill, Folkestone ‘V.D.G.’
22 May 1917 Military Hospital, Shorncliffe ‘V.D.G.’
12 July 1917 Discharged 
19 July 1917 West Cliffe Ear and Eye Hospital, Folkstone. Trachoma - suspected.
15 August 1917 West Cliffe Hospital. Chalazions, right eye.
3 October 1917 Military Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom
9 October 1917 Convalescent Hospital, Buchy Park. Nephritis.
11 November 1917 Discharged to Canadian Reserve Cavalry Depot, Shorncliffe

On 25 November 1918 Frederick was admitted to the Military Hospital, Frensham Hill, seriously will with influenza. He died at the hospital on 27 November. 

Frederick's father, Frederick James Watson, died in 1916 in the loss of the dredger Mercurius.