Marshall Watterson was the son of William John and Sarah Watterson. He was born on 29th July 1893 in Aughrim, Ballyronan, Magherafelt. The large family lived in Aughrim. His father was a farm labourer. Marshall, like his younger brother George, was employed as a cloth starcher. In September 1914, one month after war broke out, he enlisted in Glasgow in the Highland Light Infantry, the same regiment that his younger brother George had joined a few months earlier. Private Marshall Watterson was serving with the 12th Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry when he was reported as missing in action at Loos on Saturday 25th September 1915. He is recorded as being killed in action on that day.
Further Information
Marshall Watterson was the son of William John and Sarah Watterson. William Watterson married Sarah Kirkwood on 15th December 1876 in the district of Magherafelt.
Marshall Henry Watterson was born on 29th July 1893 in Aughrim, Ballyronan, Magherafelt. He was one of the 10-12 children.
Family: William John Watterson, Sarah Watterson, William J Watterson (born 1st June 1878), Robert Watterson (born 19th November 1880), Mary Watterson (born 4th January 1882), David Watterson (born 1st March 1883, died 8th March 1884), Rachel Watterson (born 15th November 1883), Thomas Watterson (born 17th May 1885), James Watterson (born 25th August 1887), Samuel Watterson (born 15th October 1890), Marshall Henry Watterson (born 29th July 1893), George Watterson (born 8th March 1896), Joseph Watterson (born 28th January 1899), Margaret J Watterson (born 9th September 1902).
The 1901 census lists Marshall as age 7 living with the family at house 23 in Aughrim, Ballyronan, County Londonderry. The house was known as Cliftonville Cottage. His father was a farm labourer.
The 1911 census lists George as age 17 living with the family at house 29 in Aughrim, Ballyronan. Marshall, like his younger brother George, was employed as a cloth starcher.
In September 1914, one month after war broke out, he answered the call to arms and travelled to Glasgow where he enlisted in the Highland Light Infantry, the same regiment that his younger brother George had joined a few months earlier.
He was assigned to the 12th Battalion and later volunteered for sniper duty.
Private Marshall Watterson was serving with the 12th Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry when he was reported as missing in action at Loos on Saturday 25th September 1915.
Private James Reilly reported that he and Marshall Watterson had breakfast together at Loos, and were together until eleven o’clock. They had taken two lines of German trenches, and he and Watterson were passing along the communications trenches towards the third. The trench was so blocked by dead and wounded that Watterson went along the parapet to get along quicker. Reilly never saw him again.
Private Marshall Watterson is recorded as being killed in action on that day. He was 20 years old.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 26th February 1916:
In reply to enquiries from his parents regarding Marshall Watterson, 12th Highland Light Infantry, missing, Sir Louis Mallet writes – ‘The only information we have is a report from Private James Reilly, now in hospital at Rouen. Reilly says he and Marshall Watterson had breakfast together at Loos, and were together until eleven o’clock. They had taken two lines of German trenches, and he and Watterson were passing along the communications trenches towards the third. The trench was so blocked by dead and wounded that Watterson went along the parapet to get along quicker. Reilly never saw him again.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 26th August 1916:
A brother (of Signaller George Watterson), Private Marshall Watterson, was reported missing after the Battle of Loos, and has not been heard from since.
Private Watterson has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial. The memorial forms the sides and back of Dud Corner Cemetery. It commemorates over 20,000 officers and men who have no known grave, who fell in the area from the River Lys to the old southern boundary of the First Army, east and west of Grenay. Loos-en-Gohelle is a village five kilometres north-west of Lens in France.
Marshall’s brother, Private George Watterson, was a Signaller serving with the 10th Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry. He was killed in action on Saturday 12th August 1916, a year after his brother. He was only nineteen years of age, and had been at the front only a week or two.
Like his brother George, Marshall’s name appears in the Books of Remembrance at Edinburgh Castle and St. Columb’s Cathedral in Londonderry.
The CWGC record Private Marshall Watterson as the son of William John and Sarah Watterson of Aughrim, Castledawson, County Londonderry.
