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Auction: 24111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 713

A 1945 B.E.M. group of eight awarded to Chief Petty Officer H. Watson, Royal Navy, a veteran of the Battle of Jutland, who was serving with Furious when Squadron Commander Dunning landed upon her while underway, becoming the first man to land an aircraft upon a moving vessel

British Empire Medal, G.VI.R. (C.P.O. Harry Watson. P/J.30525), Military Division; 1914-15 Star (J.30525. H. Watson. A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.30525 H. Watson. A.B. R.N.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Jubilee 1935; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (J.30525 H. Watson. P.O. H.M.S. Effingham.), heavy contact marks and edge bruises to Great War pair, otherwise good very fine (8)

B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1945.

Harry Watson was born at Sheffield, Yorkshire on 1 September 1897 and enlisted with the Royal Navy on 22 April 1914 as Boy Class II. Upon reaching his majority he was posted as Ordinary Seaman to the scout cruiser Blanche on 14 April 1915, while she was undergoing repairs resulting from storm damage. Posted to the Fourth Battle Squadron she was assigned a position at the rear of the Grand Fleet and did not engage during the action.

Posted ashore in November 1916 he joined the newly converted Battlecruiser Furious which was being refitted into an aircraft carrier. He was present with her when Squadron Commander Stephen Dunning landed a Sopwith Pup on the deck, becoming the first person to land an aircraft on a moving ship. Watson served out the rest of the war with this vessel as part of the 1st Cruiser Squadron.

Promoted Petty Officer after the war with Champion in 1920 he was further advanced Chief Petty Officer on 19 December 1932 with Hawkins. Posted to the experimental testing station Stokes Bay in 1935 he was involved in an unusual incident here as reported in a local newspaper when he confronted two robbers at a train station.

Pensioned on 31 August 1937 Watson returned to service during the Second World War, being posted to Victory I as Chief Petty Officer on 20 December 1940. He joined Eaglet on 6 February 1941 and served there for the rest of the war, doubtless winning his B.E.M. for his services there. Watson was finally demobilised on 8 October 1945; sold together with copied service papers and a newspaper article.


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Sold for
£320

Starting price
£210