Roll of Honour 2023

P AGE 271

W ORLD W AR II

S T . E DWARD ’ S S CHOOL , O XFORD R OLL OF H ONOUR

Name RODNEY GEORGE WATSON (Major)

Lef SES 1922

Roll Number 1795 Died 27:05:1940

Set / House A

Arrive SES 1920

Where BATTLE OF RIVER ESCAUT, FRA Serving with 1ST BATTALION, ROYAL SCOTS

Age 36

Buried Le Paradis War Cemetery, Lester, France Remembered The Dunkirk Memorial, St. Lawrence Church, Seale, Near Guilford (Shield) and The St. Edward’s School WW2 Memorial Born Hong Kong 1904, the son of a Naval Captain. He was a School Prefect and a member of the Rugby Football XV 1921, Cricket XI 1922, a Sergeant in the OTC and the Modern VIth Form. Known as ‘Bosun’. He entered Sandhurst in 1924 winning a Cadet Prize there. Commissioned in the Royal Corps of Signals in 1926. He was seconded for service in the Colonial Service in 1928 and promoted to Captain in 1935. By this time he as already the holder of an M.C. for actions elsewhere (undefined). Married 1939. Two years later he was transferred to the 1st Battalion Royal Scots and was a Major by the time war broke out. His regiment was part of the BEF sent across to try and stem the German breakthrough in France in 1940. Watson was killed in action during a major rear-guard battle at the River Escaut/Le Basse Canal in Northern France during the retreat on Dunkirk. During this encounter he led several charges, though wounded three times himself, and managed to bring other wounded to safety before expiring. For his heroic bravery he was awarded a posthumous DSO.