Watson J (James)

Captain James Watson was born on the 31st of May 1884 and was the son of James Watson and of Alice Watson (nee Cunningham); husband of Kathleen Gordon Watson, of Kenmuir in Castlerock. He had two sons, Surgeon-Lieutenant J.D. Watson, who was in the Royal Navy and Driver E.P.C. Watson (T/133049)[1] of the RASC[2], who was at the time a prisoner of war in Germany.
James served throughout the Great War as a Major in the RASC. On the outbreak of the next war, he enlisted in the same corps, but this time as a Captain. He was stationed in Ballymena and at the time of his death had been staying with a Miss Jane Campbell.
The evening prior to James’s death found him playing Bridge with a Mr James Lamont in his house on Galgorm Road. He appeared to be in good health when he left at 11:45 in the evening to go to where he was billeted.
A few minutes after midnight Captain Watson arrived home and sat down beside the radio in the sitting room. Within a few moments Miss Campbell noticed that his breathing had become laboured. She immediately called for help from a Mr Scanlon, (who was also staying in the house) and she also phoned the local doctor, Charles Dick.
In response to the emergency call, Doctor Dick arrived at the house at around 12:15 and found that Captain James Watson, whose body was still warm, was unfortunately deceased.
James Watson passed away from acute cardiac failure.[3]
One of the many awards James received was the Military Cross during the Great War for bravery.
Date of Death: 15/06/1944 (Aged 60)
Service: Captain, Royal Army Service Corps
Service Number: N/A
Burial Location: Castlerock (Downhill) Presbyterian Burial Ground.
[1] Driver E.P.C. Watson’s (T/133049) prisoner number was 250022.
[2] RAMC is the Royal Army Service Corps.
[3] Acute cardiac failure is a sudden heart attack.