Dr John Watson

Real Name: John H. Watson

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: Doctor (general practitioner); formerly army surgeon

Group Membership: Formerly British Army

Enemies: Professor Moriarty; Sebastian Moran

Known Relatives: Mary Morstan (wife, deceased), unidentified father and mother-in-law via Mary Morstan (both deceased), unidentified second wife

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: His practice, London; formerly 221B Baker Street, London; stationed in Afghanistan during his military service

First Appearance: A Study in Scarlet (Beeton's Christmas Annual, November 1887)

Powers/Abilities: Watson was a good shot with a revolver, and an excellent doctor and surgeon. Highly intelligent, he nonetheless lacked Holmes' eye for minutae and was no more than a passable amatuer slueth.

History: John Watson took his medical degree at the University of London in 1878, before training as an Army surgeon. Once qualified, he was attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers as an assistant surgeon. "The regiment was stationed in India at the time, and before I could join it, the second Afghan war had broken out. On landing at Bombay, I learned that my corps had advanced through the passes, and was already deep in the enemy's country. I followed, however, with many other officers who were in the same situation as myself, and succeeded in reaching Candahar in safety, where I found my regiment, and at once entered upon my new duties." (Watson, A Study in Scarlet). Reattached to the Berkshire's, Watson was wounded by a Jezail bullet during the battle of Maiwand, and only escaped death at the enemies' hands thanks to his orderly Murray, who managed to evacuate him to behind British lines. While recovering in a base hospital in Peshawar, he contracted enteric fever, and after months near death and then convalescing, he was invalided back to Britain in 1891, where he sought work and lodgings. Looking to share accommodation to cut the costs, he was introduced to Sherlock Holmes, a consulting detective, by their mutual acquaintance, Stamford. Holmes and Watson soon became close friends, and Watson took to accompanying Holmes on cases, and becoming his unofficial chronicler. He met his wife, Mary Morstan, during the course of a case, but she died a few years later; he eventually remarried.

Comments: Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

CLARIFICATIONS: None.

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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