Joseph Ralph WATSON

[J.J.]

Read through all the work done back then! Wow, quite the character. Adding a few poignant things...

For those looking to read the book - Letters of a Canadian stretcher bearer
He mentions gas attacks, not taking them seriously because of duds /fake shells, later describing his own symptoms.
https://archive.org/details/lettersofcanadia00lraruoft
excerpt: "What kind of a human beast can be happy and gay, when seeing his fellow Canadians being torn to pieces, and wracked with nerves."
He speaks of his best friend "K." who was from B.C. and his death sometime around Aug/Sept 1917. Perhaps his description of the west coast drew Ralph there.

His war records list an ailment as "Myalgia" - Even back then a blanket term loosely used as an ambiguous diagnosis for an array of unexplainable symptoms.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01te8/

This newspaper article describes a grandfather dealing with all his inflictions
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01te6/

The lengthy wait to finally demoblize the ernormous number of already shell-shocked men suffering from P.T.S.D. would have drawn many to drink away the time or to try & forget.  Then there weren't enough means of transportation to get them out of there.
There was station riots and unrest. Those with more important jobs were sent home first.
https://www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/after-the-war/veterans/repatriation-and-demobilization/

*********
Also, for those searching...Lalia & Billie
Census June 1, 1931 - Hull, Quebec, Canada  Cascada
Beulah Watson  Birth 1893  Ontario, Canada  Widowed
Phyllis Watson Age 17  Birth  1914 United States  Arrival 1919
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:655Q-1Q6X

Phyllis Beverly Watson - Davis b. 24 Apr 1914 d. 30 May 2006
Corona del Mar, Orange, California, United States of America
Cemetery   Pacific View Memorial Park
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68JW-LLTB
 Father: Ralph Watson  Mother: Beulah B Bahnsen
 Born 24 Apr 1914Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K4C-4L4X

[Curiously]

Would it be in order for me to gatecrash this conversation, which I have just come across on RootsChat?

I will say no more at present other than that I am Peter Joseph Watson, (age 96), son of Joseph/Ralph/Beverley/Watson, and that I too have been researching the Watson family of Gardham Hall etc...

If you wish to communicate, please do, either on this site (if possible) or to *

Best wishes

PJW

*Moderator comment: personal email address removed in accordance with RootsChat practice and guidance, to prevent others abusing or spamming it.  Please use the personal message system to exchange e-mail addresses.  New members need to make two or three posts in order to access this system.  Thanks

[J.J.]

   Hello & welcome to Rootschat PJW! No gatecrashing was done.   Your email address will be removed shortly, though. The main reason being that spammers would find it and you'd want to change your email address with all the incoming spam you'd get.
   There is a way to communicate privately, though... by clicking on the wee scroll under that person's avatar (to the left of their post).  Just hover over it to confirm where to click. They can also private message you as long as they have more than one post on Rootschat!
   In the meantime, there may be other surnames you are interested in. If so hit SEARCH in the brown panel on top of the page...type the names & location you are looking for and perhaps you can even add info to someone else's search.  All the best...J.J.

adding: Did you see Haywood's post on page 1 re: same bunch? If not, here's the url
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=533187.0

[bendywendy]

Hi Peter
Of course you can gatecrash, more info the better.
I have received you private message, I am about to reply.
bendywendy