Jefford Rex Watson
Born 26 Feb 1928 - Died 18 Nov 1951
- Service number
- WWII 829079 AWMM
- Korea 206403 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- Korea Gunner/Military AWMM Royal New Zealand Artillery, 16 Field Regiment AWMM
- War
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Jefford Rex AWMM
- Surname
- Watson AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWII 829079 AWMM
- Korea 206403 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 26 Feb 1928 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- Jayforce Pre 1946-1948 AWMM 5 Albert St., Pahiatua AWMM
- Korea Pahiatua, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Jayforce Mrs. E. Watson, 408 Market St., Hastings (m) AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 1946-1948 AWMM Single/Jayforce AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- Campaign
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWII 829079 AWMM
- Korea 206403 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW2 Driver/Civilian 2NZEF Nom. Roll 16, p.139
- Korea Driver and Fencer/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- Jayforce Private 2NZEF Nom. Roll 16, p.139 Royal New Zealand Artillery 2NZEF Nom. Roll 16, p.139 British Commonwealth Forces Korea (Kayforce) AWMM
- Korea
2nd Embarkation AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Died of Disease, Cause of Death AWMM
Died of disease, Manchurian fever AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Korea Gunner/Military AWMM
Royal New Zealand Artillery, 16 Field Regiment AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Served with Kayforce 1951
Prime Minister Helen Clark and Defence Minister Mark Burton presented the New Zealand Operational Service Medal (NZOSM) to next of kin of New Zealanders who were killed or died in military operations since 1945 at a ceremony at Parliament 3 September 2003.
The New Zealand Operational Service Medal was received on his behalf by his nephew Mr Jefford Watson of Palmerston North.
An article on Manchurian fever appeared in the New Zealand Herald (19 November 1951, p. 8) claiming that only one soldier (not named) in Kayforce was affected and that he was not seriously ill. "Health concerns had been raised by the upsurge in cases of haemorrhagic (Songo or Manchurian) fever, which occured late in 1951.During November, thirty-one cases were reported among the Commonwealth troops. These included two members of 16 Field Regiment, Gunners J.R. Watson and D.C. Jackson, both of whom died of illness.Other victims spent months in hospital recovering." (McGibbon 1996, vol. 2, p. 240) AWMM
About death
- Death
- 18 Nov 1951 AWMM
Age 23 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Died of Disease AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- United Nations Cemetery, Pusan, Korea AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, Hall of Memories. Korea, Malaya-Borneo. AWMM
Sources
- External links
- New Zealand Defence Force. Roll of Honour. Personnel who have died on operational service since 3 September 1945.
http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/info/roll-of-honour/index.html
Sources Used - New Zealand Navy in the Korean War. Navy Museum.
http://www.navymuseum.mil.nz/history/time/korean/default.htm
Further Reference - New Zealand in the Korean War. NZHistory online.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/korean-war
Further Reference - J Force Wikipedia Page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Force
Further Reference - Romano, G. (2021, March 4). Jayforce: 75 years on. Auckland War Memorial Museum – Tāmaki Paenga Hira.
https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/jayforce
Further Reference
- New Zealand Defence Force. Roll of Honour. Personnel who have died on operational service since 3 September 1945.
- References
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 10 (Embarkations from 1st January, 1943 to 31st March, 1943). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 10 (Embarkations from 1st January, 1943 to 31st March, 1943). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
- Hopkins, G. (2002). Tales from Korea : the Royal New Zealand Navy. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed.
- McGibbon, I.C. (1992-1996). New Zealand and the Korean War (Vols. 1-2). Auckland, N.Z.; Wellington, N.Z.: Oxford University Press in association with the Historical Branch, Dept. of Internal Affairs.
Vol. 2, pp. 240, 371, 413. - Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1950). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 16 (Embarkations from 1st January, 1946 to 30th June, 1948). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
- Nominal rolls - Nominal rolls embarkation K-force [Korea Nominal Roll], Archives New Zealand, Wellington, AAYS 8638 AD1/1433 (R22440250)
- Chamberlain, H. (2013). The New Zealand Korea Roll : honouring those who served in the New Zealand Armed Forces in Korea, 1950-1957. Wellington, N.Z.: Author.
- Black, E. A. (n.d.). N.Z. armed forces honours & awards : Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, 1950-1972. Wellington, N.Z.: Defence Headquarters.
- Brocklebank, L.W. (1997). Jayforce : New Zealand and the military occupation of Japan, 1945-48. Auckland, N.Z.: Oxford University Press.
- Parr, A. (2012). The occupiers : New Zealand veterans remember post-war Japan. Auckland, N.Z. : Penguin.
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