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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 386

(x) An Italy 1945 immediate M.C. group of five awarded to Lieutenant D. J. Watts, 27th Lancers, Royal Armoured Corps

Military Cross, G.VI.R, the reverse officially dated '1945', together with its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, together with the card box of issue for the campaign medals, this addressed to 'D. J. Watts Esq., "Dawn", Bury Rd, Bournemouth W', and the Army Council forwarding slip confirming '4', good very fine (5)

M.C. London Gazette 23 August 1945. The original recommendation states:

'24 April 1945

During the early morning Lt. Watts' Armoured Car Troop was advancing in front of 56 Divisions left axis when he came to a small bridge (260950) backed by houses; he could see that this feature was held by a considerable number of enemy. It was essential that the bridge should be seized intact. Lt. Watts was ordered to seize and hold it, and another Armoured Car Troop and a dismounted Troop were moved up to support him. He immediately took these Troops under his command, made a very rapid plan and rushed the br with his own Troop in face of a very heavy fire. His leading car struck a demolition hole on the bridge and stuck. Mortars started to fire from the flanks and an 88mm gun from the front, but in spite of this he carried on with his plan, and within 45 minutes of his first arrival at the bridge he succeeded in seizing and consolidation his objective.

Owing to the speed and skill with which he manoeuvred his forces the operation was entirely successful and the advance of the Division was not delayed; he took 56 Prisoners of War, inflicted many casualties and destroyed or captured a large amount of arms and equipment - including a complete Company HQ, a half track amm carrier, 15 carts loaded with heavy mortar amm, and a large quantity of horsed transport.'

Douglas Joseph Watts was educated at Rossell School, Fleetwood, Lancashire and read Law at Cambridge University. With the outbreak of the Second World War he went up to Sandhurst and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 10 May 1941. He served with the 27th Lancers, a unit formed from a cadre of the 12th Royal Lancers and was initially posted to Egypt in 1943, before moving on to Italy. It was here where it served as an independent reconnaissance regiment for the Allied Force Headquarters. Watts was serving with 'A' Squadron in April 1945 at the time of winning his M.C. during the crossings of the Canale Bianco. Having been ordered to take the bridge, Watts and his force moved up and were fired upon from a haystack at 450 yards. With one vehicle caught in a demolition hole, Lieutenant Robinson also distinguished himself on that day. Watts was to the fore and dismounted in order to personally gather the important exact positions of several spandau and mortar positions. Having given these details to Trooper Hunt, who gave the positions, the allied guns silenced the spandaus and took out the half-track.

Watts settled in Bournemouth, took his Law Examination in 1946, and worked for Allin & Watts, besides being a commissioner for oaths.


Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£1,400

Starting price
£800