Watters, J (John)

No photo at present
Private John Watters was the son of John and Mary Ann James and John Watters of 103 Williams Street in the city and brother of William James. Records state that he served with the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
John died on the 17th, November 1919, according to one record, this was from wounds in Devonport, Devon, England. At present this information has not been confirmed. There is an unsolved mystery around this soldier. According to his medal card he was only awarded the British War medal. This would indicate that he may have never entered a theatre of war and may have only served in a garrison unit of the British Army. This would mean he didn’t serve with the 1st Battalion but with the 1st Garrison Battalion of the Inniskilling Fusiliers. At the moment evidence is sparce.

Putting aside the mystery of above, another tragedy would befall the family exactly a year and 10 months later during the 17th, September 1921.
At the family home, which was a flat in a shared house, a lady who lived downstairs, called Louisa Hanna, heard a shot, then Mary Ann James (John Watters’s mother) exclaimed twice “please don’t!” this was followed by another shot. Five minutes of silence followed before “Help!” could be heard from the son, (John’s brother) William James being yelled. Louisa then went upstairs to find the pair lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Mary Ann was shot through the chest and William through the head. A few yards away lying under the table was Williams Revolver that he used in his duties as a B Special Constable. A letter was also found which wrote “To balance account with everyone. W. James”. Mary Ann James was deceased at this point, the bullet hitting her heart. William though was still alive and would be remanded in prison for trial while his mother was laid to rest with her son in Londonderry’s City Cemetery.
Date of Death: 17/11/1919 (Aged 29)
Service: Private, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 1st Battalion. Possibly 1st Battalion, Garrison.
Service Number: 9857
Burial Location: Londonderry (or Derry), City Cemetery, G.C. 180