Corporal George Evan Watson
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
George Evan Watson was born at Athelstan, Quebec, on 28 June 1918. He attended school in Huntingdon through Grade 11 and worked for about a year in a garage at Athelstan before working from 1936 to 1939 at the Champlain Milk Products milk-condensing plant in Huntingdon. He enlisted at St. Jean, Quebec, in September 1939 and served with the Royal Canadian Regiment in Canada and overseas in the United Kingdom, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. During the war he became a regimental signaller and infantry corporal and also served as an instructor in Canada. He married Joan Palmer in England in 1942. After the war he hoped to obtain clerical work in the federal civil service. Watson died at Montreal General Hospital on 19 August 1988 after a lengthy illness and was buried in the Field of Honour at Huntingdon Protestant Cemetery.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
A6000
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Regiment
Battalion:
Royal Canadian Regiment
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Athelstan, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
21 years 2 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
27 years
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
70 years 1 month
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Milk condensing plant worker
Next of Kin:
Mary Watson, mother, Athelstan, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Athelstan, Quebec
Religion:
Presbyterian
Place of Enlistment:
St. Jean, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 8.0 in / 173 cm
Weight:
140 lbs / 64 kg
Chest:
Expansion:
Marital Status:
Married
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Montreal South, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
2132 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Corporal |
Royal Canadian Regiment |
Army |
Royal Canadian Regiment |
|
|
|
| Confirmed Corporal 8 Feb 1945; rank on discharge. |
| WW2 |
Acting Lance Corporal |
Royal Canadian Regiment |
Army |
Royal Canadian Regiment |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Royal Canadian Regiment |
Army |
Royal Canadian Regiment |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
1939-45 Star |
Award |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Italy Star |
Award |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
Award |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp |
Award |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Medal 1939-45 |
Award |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Service Badge, General Service Class |
Award |
|
|
|
| 268938 |
Service Chronology
1918-06-28 — Born at Athelstan, Quebec.
1939-09-09 — Enlisted at St. Jean, Quebec / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1939-12 — Proceeded overseas to United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1942-02-14 — Married Joan Palmer / England / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1942-02-18 — Permission to marry recorded / United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1942-03-29 — Marriage allowance commenced / United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1942-07-25 — Attached to Headquarters, 7 Canadian Infantry Brigade / United Kingdom / Headquarters, 7 Canadian Infantry Brigade.
1942-07-30 — Ceased attachment to Headquarters, 7 Canadian Infantry Brigade / United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1942-09-11 — Attached to 12 Canadian Army Field Company / United Kingdom / 12 Canadian Army Field Company.
1942-09-26 — Ceased attachment to 12 Canadian Army Field Company / United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1943-02-13 — Began eight days privilege leave / United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1943-02-21 — Returned from eight days privilege leave / United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1943-04-29 — Awarded Good Conduct Badge / United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1943-05-25 — Began privilege leave / United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1943-07-25 — Embarked for the Mediterranean theatre / United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1943-08-10 — Disembarked / Sicily / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944 — Served in Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-02-25 — To be Acting Corporal / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-03-11 — Appointed Acting Corporal / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-03-29 — Granted regimental allowance / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-05-10 — Struck off strength / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-05-27 — Struck off strength / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-06-13 — Posted / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-07-02 — Posted / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-08-21 — Reverted to Private / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-08-28 — Taken on strength to Royal Canadian Regiment / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-09-07 — Taken on strength by Royal Canadian Regiment / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-10-24 — Awarded nine days privilege leave / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-11-13 — Admitted with clinical malaria / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-11-17 — Awarded the 1939-45 Star / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1944-11-21 — Granted seven days privilege leave / Italy / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1945 — Served in Northwest Europe / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1945-02-02 — Confirmed Corporal with effect from 2 February 1945 / Northwest Europe / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1945-04-08 — Granted nine days privilege leave / Northwest Europe / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1945-05-31 — Struck off strength to Canada / Canada / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1945-06-01 — Continuous Trades Pay Group C, Signals, effective 1 June 1945 / Canada / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1945-06-09 — Granted rehabilitation leave from 9 June to 6 July 1945 / Canada / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1945-07-06 — Rehabilitation leave ended / Canada / Royal Canadian Regiment.
1945-07-11 — Discharged under R.O. 1029 para. 5; granted $100 clothing allowance and 30 days pay of rank / Montreal South, Quebec / No. 4 District Depot.
1988-08-19 — Died at Montreal General Hospital / Montreal, Quebec.
Notes
George Evan Watson was born at Athelstan, Quebec, on 28 June 1918. He attended school in Huntingdon through Grade 11 and worked for about a year in a garage at Athelstan before working from 1936 to 1939 at the Champlain Milk Products milk-condensing plant in Huntingdon. He enlisted at St. Jean, Quebec, in September 1939 and served with the Royal Canadian Regiment in Canada and overseas in the United Kingdom, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. During the war he became a regimental signaller and infantry corporal and also served as an instructor in Canada. He married Joan Palmer in England in 1942. After the war he hoped to obtain clerical work in the federal civil service. Watson died at Montreal General Hospital on 19 August 1988 after a lengthy illness and was buried in the Field of Honour at Huntingdon Protestant Cemetery.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Reported for duty on September 5, 1939 accepted September 9, 1939.
Born at Athelstan, Que. June 28, 1918
BIRTH 29 JUN 1918 • Elgin, Le Haut-Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada DEATH 19 AUG 1988 • Montréal, Montréal (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada
Request confirmation number EA2026_0171744
Additional Service Notes
Served with the Royal Canadian Regiment from September 1939 to July 1945. He was fully trained as an infantry corporal and regimental signaller, served approximately four months as an instructor in Canada, and spent about 66 months overseas in the United Kingdom, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He was promoted Corporal and discharged in that rank.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Mother at enlistment: Mary Watson, Athelstan, Quebec. Married Joan Palmer in England on 14 February 1942; wartime address 21 Chart Lane, Reigate, Surrey, England. Obituary names children Steven (Connie), Sandra (Terry) and Dawn (Wayne); grandchildren Roger, Kim, Krystal, Craig and Wade; sisters Grace Rowat and Ida Barras; and brother David (Jan).
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-30 02:05:04
by: marc
