BALLYMENA 1914-1918
Carved in stone ...but not forgotten
Members of the group at Neiderzwehren. Despite torrential rain. poppies were laid on the graves of local men and a service was held.
Mid-Antrim Friends of the Somme visit Germany
The cemetery at Niederzwehren, 10 Kilometres south of Kassel , was opened by the Germans in 1915 for the burial of prisoners-of-war who died at the local camp. During the war almost 3,000 Allied soldiers and civilians, including French, Russian and Commonwealth, were buried there.
In 1922 it was decided that graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died all over Germany should be brought to four permanent cemeteries. Niederzwehren was one of those chosen and in the following four years, more than 1,500 graves were brought into the cemetery from 190 burial grounds in Baden, Bavaria, Hanover, Hesse and Saxony. There are now 1,795 First World War servicemen in the Commonwealth plot at
Niederzwehren. Amongst them are over 100 Irish, 40 of whom are from Northern Ireland.
On Sunday 11th November this year a party of the Ballymena Branch of "Friends of the Somme Association" attended a remembrance event at Niederzwehren at 11 am. One of those buried in the cemetery is remembered below.
A Frosses Hero of World War 1
Contributed by Harry Hume of Clough
William Watt was born in the townland of Frosses in 1895. His parents were James and Maggie Watt.
He was the third child in a family of eight who were all members of Clough Presbyterian congregation. William's father, a member of the local Orange Lodge, was a farm labourer and for a time worked to John Gregg of Frosses. The family lived in a small house which still stands adjacent to Frosses Orange Hall.
William and an elder brother James emigrated to Canada just before the outbreak of World War 1.
William enlisted in the 5th Regiment of The Royal Highlanders of Canada at Valcartier, near the port of Quebec on 27th August 1914 shortly after the outbreak of war.
His Attestation Papers were completed on 23rd September. He described himself as 'an engineer.' The Medical Officer who certified him fit for service gave his height as 5ft. 8ins. He described him as 'of fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.'
William gave his age correctly as 19 years but examining doctors were asked to state their opinion of apparent age. Because of William's youthful appearance the doctor stated according to instructions given in the Regulations for Army Medical Services that in his opinion he was sixteen years and nine months.
He was the third child in a family of eight who were all members of Clough Presbyterian congregation. William's father, a member of the local Orange Lodge, was a farm labourer and for a time worked to John Gregg of Frosses. The family lived in a small house which still stands adjacent to Frosses Orange Hall.
William and an elder brother James emigrated to Canada just before the outbreak of World War 1.
William enlisted in the 5th Regiment of The Royal Highlanders of Canada at Valcartier, near the port of Quebec on 27th August 1914 shortly after the outbreak of war.
His Attestation Papers were completed on 23rd September. He described himself as 'an engineer.' The Medical Officer who certified him fit for service gave his height as 5ft. 8ins. He described him as 'of fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.'
William gave his age correctly as 19 years but examining doctors were asked to state their opinion of apparent age. Because of William's youthful appearance the doctor stated according to instructions given in the Regulations for Army Medical Services that in his opinion he was sixteen years and nine months.
In less than two months William Watt sailed from Quebec with The First Contingent, Canadian Expeditionary Force, in number more than 32,000 men, (the largest convoy of men ever to cross the Atlantic).
On reaching England the Canadians endured a long miserable winter in the mud and drizzle of the Salisbury Plain. In the spring 1915 it is said the men were deemed ready for the front line and were razor-keen. Nothing, they believed, could be worse than Salisbury. In the years that lay ahead, they were to find out just how tragically wrong that assessment was.
The first engagement of Canadian forces with the enemy was in France but at Ypres in Belgium the Canadians bore the brunt of the first gas attack of WW1. On April 22nd. 1915 some 160 tons of chlorine gas was used by the Germans to breach the line held by the Canadians. In 48 hours the number of Canadian casualties numbered 6,000.
William Watt was at that time serving with the 13th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry known as The Quebec Regiment. He was taken prisoner and sent to the German camp at Niederzwehren near Kassel, most likely having suffered from the gas attack. He died there on 12th May 1915.
His brother James joined the Canadian Army the following year and survived the war. He returned to Ireland to live in Co. Down and frequently visited his mother at the Frosses.
On reaching England the Canadians endured a long miserable winter in the mud and drizzle of the Salisbury Plain. In the spring 1915 it is said the men were deemed ready for the front line and were razor-keen. Nothing, they believed, could be worse than Salisbury. In the years that lay ahead, they were to find out just how tragically wrong that assessment was.
The first engagement of Canadian forces with the enemy was in France but at Ypres in Belgium the Canadians bore the brunt of the first gas attack of WW1. On April 22nd. 1915 some 160 tons of chlorine gas was used by the Germans to breach the line held by the Canadians. In 48 hours the number of Canadian casualties numbered 6,000.
William Watt was at that time serving with the 13th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry known as The Quebec Regiment. He was taken prisoner and sent to the German camp at Niederzwehren near Kassel, most likely having suffered from the gas attack. He died there on 12th May 1915.
His brother James joined the Canadian Army the following year and survived the war. He returned to Ireland to live in Co. Down and frequently visited his mother at the Frosses.