Rifleman Herbert Watkins Worksop Guardian 5 October 1917
The sad news of the death of Rifleman Herbert Watkins, of the City of London Regiment, has been received by Mr. and Mrs. John Watkins, who reside at Gladstone Villa, Netherton Road, Worksop. The report, which is official, is to the effect that he died of wounds, effects of gas, and pneumonia, in the Third Canadian Hospital, Boulogne, on September 24th. Deceased served his apprenticeship to the watchmaker trade with Mr. A Wheeler, watchmaker, Bridge Street, and had been in France 16 months. He enlisted from Leicester, where he had been residing about two years ago. He was well known in Worksop, where, like the other members of his family, he was held in high respect. Unfortunately, no portrait of him is available. His two brothers’, both of whom are at present wounded and in Hospital. One, Rifleman Arthur G. Watkins, was wounded on August 12th, and he is in the 11th Harward U. S. A. General Hospital, France. He was severely wounded in the arm, shoulder, thigh and chest. Prior to joining the forces, he lived at Leicester, where he was in the employ of the G. P. O. He has six children. When in Worksop as a lad, he was employed as a telegraph boy, and, later, as postman. The other brother is Rifleman Bernard Watkins, who is suffering from shell shock. He also is in hospital in France. Both he and his brother, Arthur, are in the Post Office Rifles. Rifleman B. Watkins joined the Army from Burton-on-Trent about the same time as his brother. They found each other at the training camp, and went through their course of instructions together. They went to France together, and were wounded at nearly the same time. Mr. and Mrs. John Watkins are old Worksopians, Mr. Watkins being a retired postman, having been in the service of the G.P.O. for 36 years. They have another son, John William Watkins, who is fighting in France. The latter’s son is a telegraphist in the Signalling Co.
