Born in the parish of St. John's, Newent.
Enlisted at Gloucester on the 9th of December 1833.
Age: 22.
Height: 5' 8.
Trade: Armourer.
From Private to Armourer Sergeant on the 11th of December 1853.
Embarked for the Crimea aboard the H.T. "Wilson Kennedy" on the 2nd of May 1854.
Discharged from Newbridge Barracks on the 4th of October 1857, as:
"Unfit for further service. Is recommended to be invalided in consequence of general nervous debility and irritation produced by length of service and not the result of vice or intemperance."
From letters amongst his documents it would appear that he did not attend the Discharge Board which sat at Canterbury, he being then on "sick furlo" in Dublin. His address at that time was No. 4 Upper Baggot Street, Dublin, and a letter from Colonel Edward Seagar stated that he (Watson) could, if it was considered necessary, attend before a Board in Dublin."
Served 23 years 210 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years.
Conduct and character: "very good". Never tried by Court-martial.
Awarded a pension of 2/- per day.
He was living in Dublin after discharge, but he was in Newcastle from 1859 until at least 1875.
Documents confirm the award of the Long Service and Good Conduct medal, but make no reference to those for the Crimea.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 15th of February 1855, with a gratuity of £15.