John Alan Watts was born 2 April 1927, together with his twin sister Joyce Constance Watts (1927-2022). They were the children of Harry Watts (b.1892) and Edith Watts née Bacon (1895-1944) and their births were registered in the 2nd quarter of 1927 in the Croydon registration district, Surrey.
In the 1939 England and Wales Register he is shown as a schoolboy living in the King William IV public house in The Street, Damgate, Acle, Norfolk, the home of his paternal uncle and aunt, Arthur Chestney Watts (1894-1967) and Alice Elizabeth Watts (1896-1968) and their two daughters Ruby Alice Watts (b.1921) and Joan Marjorie Watts (b.1923). His parents and sister were recorded at 7 Cottingham Road, Penge, Kent and his father was listed as both a timber merchant and a part-time Air Raid Precautions Warden, whilst his mother was shown as both on unpaid domestic service (i.e. a housewife) and also as a part-time Air Raid Precautions Warden.
He died, aged 17 years, on 29 June 1944. According to the Flying Bombs and Rockets website at 00.23 hours a V1 flying bomb impacted at 7 Cottingham Road and caused extensive damage across the area. Four houses were demolished in Cottingham Road and 39 severely damaged. 67 shops and 84 houses were also damaged in Green Lane, High Street, Croydon Road and Clarina Road. It also caused severe damage to a range of buildings used as workshops, offices and stores and also a builder's warehouse. A total of three people died, including his mother.
He is also commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour 1939-1945 located just outside St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey and on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
