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Auction: 23112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 462

A well-documented campaign group of seven to Engine Room Artificer Class I, R. J. D. Watson, Royal Navy, who saw action at the Battles of Heliogoland Bight and Jutland with Fearless
before re-mobilising for Second World War service with Calcutta in the Norway Campaign

1914-15 Star (M.105, R. J. D. Watson, E.R.A.4., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (M. 105 R. J. D. Watson. E.R.A.3 R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (M.105 R.J.D.Watson. E.R.A.1 H.M.S. Vulcan.), minor pitting and contact marks, overall very fine (7)

Provenance:
D.N.W. September 2015.

Robert James Dannel Watson was born at Leeds, Yorkshire on 15 April 1892 and entered the Royal Navy on 3 January 1908 as a Boy Artificer at Fisguard. Reaching maturity there on 1 January 1912 he joined St. Vincent on 1 February.

Posted to the scout-cruiser Fearless on 14 October 1913 he was still with her upon the outbreak of the Great War. This vessel formed part of Harwich Force and was the lead ship for the 1st Destroyer Flotilla during the Battle of Heliogoland Bight on 28 August 1914 were she was at the forefront of the destroyer contingent.

1st Destroyer Flotilla was part of the Beatty's Battlecruiser Squadron at Jutland. Screening the Battlecruiser's during the Run to the South Fearless later formed an escort for the damaged Marlborough. Ordered to escort her home they were attacked by a Zepplin and later nearly torpedoed by U-46.

After the Battle Watson transferred to the submarine school H.M.S. Dolphin on 8 December 1916, being posted to the submarine C28. After the end of the war he joined the new K-class with H.M.S. K16, returning to destroyers with Broke in 1926. Watson was pensioned ashore on 19 July 1935.

Remobilised for service with the anti-aircraft cruiser Calcutta on 24 August 1939. Serving with her during the Norway Campaign he went ashore on 28 April 1940. Joining the shore base Lynx on 7 December 1940 he was to spend much of the war there. Prior to D-Day he was posted to H.M.S. Dinosaur II, the repair and work-up base responsible for landing craft. Watson was to remained there until the end of the war, being demobilised on 23 July 1945. He died at Dover in 1974; sold together with copied research including service papers, census data and information on H.M.S. Calcutta as we as an archive of original documentation comprising:

i)
Original service papers.

ii)
Certificate of wounds and hurts dated 1908.

iii)
Birth and Baptism certifcates.

iv)
Permit book for a 'Mrs Kathleen Watson'.

v)
Telegram calling up the recipient for Second World War service.

vi)
Two character references from superior officers dated to October and November 1921.

vii)
A certificate of release dated to '1945'.

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Sold for
£180

Starting price
£100