Knowledge (XXG)

Oliver Cyril Spencer Watson

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33: 334:, a counter-attack had been made against the enemy position which at first achieved its object, but as they were holding out in two improvised strong-points, Lieutenant Colonel Watson saw that immediate action was necessary and he led his remaining small reserve to the attack, organising bombing parties and leading attacks under intense fire. Outnumbered, he finally ordered his men to retire, remaining himself in a communication trench to cover the retirement. The assault he led was at a critical moment and without doubt saved the line, but he was killed covering the withdrawal. 78: 97: 340:
In 1956, Watson's medals were loaned to the Green Howards Regimental Museum, then in 1992 were donated as a gift to the Regiment by the husband of Watson's niece, Mrs Catherine Whittuck. A copy of his Victoria Cross is displayed at the
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from his Yeomanry unit in 1916, he went to France as the second-in-command in 1917. He was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the DSO in May 1917, having been wounded at
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Lieutenant Colonel Watson has no known grave. He is remembered at the CWGC Cemetery at Arras, France and listed under the Middlesex Hussars (Yeomanry); his parent unit.
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in 1898 and after being invalided from India in 1903 he retired to the reserve of regular officers in 1904.
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in April 1915 and was promoted to major in July 1915, before returning to the UK. Attached to the
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and posted to the regiment's 2nd battalion, then serving in India. He took part in the
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Watson was 41 years old, and an Acting Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the
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County of London Yeomanry (Middlesex, Duke of Cambridge's Hussars)
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British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
215: 151: 141: 126: 116: 106: 89: 71: 55: 39: 23: 538:Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst 317:5th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 146:5th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 578:British military personnel killed in World War I 558:British military personnel of the Tirah campaign 588:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross 583:British Army personnel of the Boxer Rebellion 563:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order 503:Biography at The Friends of the Green Howards 8: 553:King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry officers 543:People educated at St Paul's School, London 264:, in 1897 Watson was commissioned into the 31: 20: 301:2/5th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 190: 160: 137:(Middlesex, Duke of Cambridge's Hussars) 398:(Supplement). 7 May 1918. p. 5555. 376: 361: 354: 291:. He was promoted Lieutenant in 1911, 568:British Army personnel of World War I 7: 533:Military personnel from Westminster 450:The Register of the Victoria Cross 14: 262:Royal Military College, Sandhurst 598:Missing in action of World War I 95: 76: 343:Green Howards Regimental Museum 16:Recipient of the Victoria Cross 1: 345:, Richmond, North Yorkshire. 135:1st County of London Yeomanry 418:. 15 May 1919. p. 6085. 593:Middlesex Yeomanry officers 232:Oliver Cyril Spencer Watson 224:Distinguished Service Order 25:Oliver Cyril Spencer Watson 614: 462:VCs of the First World War 456:Gliddon, Gerald (2013) . 280:of 1900. He was promoted 30: 258:St Paul's School, London 59:28 March 1918 (aged 41) 548:Green Howards officers 508:Masonic Roll of Honour 330:, north of Hebuterne, 295:in 1913. He served in 287:In 1909 he joined the 198:Hundred Days Offensive 458:Spring Offensive 1918 107:Years of service 452:(This England, 1997) 446:(David Harvey, 1999) 444:Monuments to Courage 326:On 28 March 1918 at 272:of 1897–1898 on the 364:, pp. 140–141. 274:North West Frontier 415:The London Gazette 395:The London Gazette 176:Gallipoli campaign 121:Lieutenant Colonel 483:978-0-7524-8730-4 474:The History Press 229: 228: 605: 487: 431: 426: 420: 419: 406: 400: 399: 386: 380: 374: 365: 359: 270:Tirah Expedition 206: 192: 162: 99: 91: 82: 80: 79: 43:7 September 1876 35: 21: 613: 612: 608: 607: 606: 604: 603: 602: 513: 512: 494: 484: 470:Gloucestershire 455: 440: 435: 434: 429:vconline.org.uk 427: 423: 408: 407: 403: 388: 387: 383: 375: 368: 360: 356: 351: 313: 307:on 3 May 1917. 278:Boxer Rebellion 254: 222: 202: 186:Battle of Arras 171:First World War 169: 167:Boxer Rebellion 165: 133: 111: 77: 75: 60: 44: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 611: 609: 601: 600: 595: 590: 585: 580: 575: 570: 565: 560: 555: 550: 545: 540: 535: 530: 525: 515: 514: 511: 510: 505: 500: 493: 492:External links 490: 489: 488: 482: 453: 447: 439: 436: 433: 432: 421: 401: 381: 379:, p. 141. 366: 353: 352: 350: 347: 328:Rossignol Wood 312: 311:Victoria Cross 309: 253: 250: 242:Victoria Cross 227: 226: 220:Victoria Cross 217: 213: 212: 211: 210: 209: 208: 195: 178: 156:Tirah Campaign 153: 149: 148: 143: 139: 138: 128: 124: 123: 118: 114: 113: 108: 104: 103: 93: 87: 86: 84:United Kingdom 73: 69: 68: 62:Rossignol Wood 57: 53: 52: 41: 37: 36: 28: 27: 24: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 610: 599: 596: 594: 591: 589: 586: 584: 581: 579: 576: 574: 571: 569: 566: 564: 561: 559: 556: 554: 551: 549: 546: 544: 541: 539: 536: 534: 531: 529: 526: 524: 521: 520: 518: 509: 506: 504: 501: 499: 496: 495: 491: 485: 479: 475: 471: 467: 463: 459: 454: 451: 448: 445: 442: 441: 437: 430: 425: 422: 417: 416: 411: 405: 402: 397: 396: 391: 385: 382: 378: 373: 371: 367: 363: 358: 355: 348: 346: 344: 338: 335: 333: 329: 324: 322: 319:(now part of 318: 310: 308: 306: 302: 298: 294: 290: 285: 283: 279: 275: 271: 267: 266:Green Howards 263: 259: 251: 249: 247: 243: 239: 236: 233: 225: 221: 218: 214: 207: 205: 199: 196: 193: 187: 184: 183: 182: 181:Western Front 179: 177: 174: 173: 172: 168: 163: 157: 154: 150: 147: 144: 140: 136: 132: 131:Green Howards 129: 125: 122: 119: 115: 109: 105: 102: 98: 94: 88: 85: 74: 70: 67: 63: 58: 54: 51: 47: 42: 38: 34: 29: 22: 19: 457: 438:Bibliography 424: 413: 404: 393: 384: 377:Gliddon 2013 362:Gliddon 2013 357: 339: 336: 325: 314: 286: 256:Educated at 255: 246:Commonwealth 231: 230: 203: 152:Battles/wars 101:British Army 18: 528:1918 deaths 523:1876 births 410:"No. 31340" 390:"No. 30675" 112:1909 - 1918 110:1897 - 1904 46:Westminster 517:Categories 498:CWGC entry 349:References 321:The Rifles 305:Bullecourt 282:lieutenant 260:, and the 72:Allegiance 297:Gallipoli 252:Biography 248:forces. 142:Commands 90:Service/ 293:captain 204:† 188: ( 158: ( 480:  466:Stroud 332:France 216:Awards 200:  92:branch 81:  66:France 50:London 478:ISBN 127:Unit 117:Rank 56:Died 40:Born 238:DSO 191:WIA 161:WIA 519:: 476:. 472:: 468:, 464:. 460:. 412:. 392:. 369:^ 235:VC 64:, 48:, 486:. 194:) 164:)

Index


Westminster
London
Rossignol Wood
France
United Kingdom

British Army
Lieutenant Colonel
Green Howards
1st County of London Yeomanry
5th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Tirah Campaign
WIA
Boxer Rebellion
First World War
Gallipoli campaign
Western Front
Battle of Arras
WIA
Hundred Days Offensive

Victoria Cross
Distinguished Service Order
VC
DSO
Victoria Cross
Commonwealth
St Paul's School, London
Royal Military College, Sandhurst

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