Harold Percy Watson RNAS

[Andrew Smith]

G'day All,

I have the pleasure of meeting Harold Watson's daughter tomorrow. Does anyone have anymore information on him. The total sum of knowledge I have on him is listed below.

11 SEP 1915 Enlists RNAS

11 SEP 1915 Appoined Flight Sub Lieutenant

27 OCT 1915 Obtained RAeC 2050. At Eastbourne on Grahame White.

30 MAR 1916 Engine Failure Crashed on landing, over turned, wrecked. Bristol Biplane Serial 1224.

?? JUL 1916 To Calshot

29 JUL 1916 To Grain

23 FEB 1917 Brother 2 Lt. Cyril Austin WATSON 38th Bn AIF KIA

?? ??? 1917 On leave to Australia

15 NOV 1917 Marries Kathleen Elizabeth HUNTER at St James Old Cathedral Melbourne

01 APR 1917 Appointed Flight Lieutenant

?? ??? ???? Appointed Captain RAF

?? OCT 1918 To Grain for experimental duties

07 JAN 1919 Resigns from RAF

31 JUL 1919 Kathleen Passes away

24 FEB 1922 Marries Margaret May STANLAKE at St Phillips Sydney

16 AUG 1975 Passes Away

Regards,

Andrew.

[MikeW]

Hi Andrew,

He was still stationed at Grain in January 1917 - lots of experimental stuff there.

At the end of March 1918/beginning of April 1918 I have him listed as "Special Service". Very mysterious!

Mike

[Andrew Smith]

Hi Andrew,

He was still stationed at Grain in January 1917 - lots of experimental stuff there.

At the end of March 1918/beginning of April 1918 I have him listed as "Special Service". Very mysterious!

Mike

G'day Mike,

I had a wonderful morning talking to Mary and my photo collection has grown by 72 photos one is of the first Gotha that was shot down. Lots of the one off RNAS aircraft such as the Tellier Flying Boat. A lot have numbers in the bottom left hand corner as if you could order them from the photographer, some I have appear in RNAS serials.

I sent you a photo of Watson sitting in a boxkite.

His Special Service was to go to Canada and teach French Canadians how to fly, HPW said they made the worst pilots, his words not mine.

Andrew