Lieutenant Colonel J Watson

Just wondering if there is anywhere I can find a list of Lieutenant Colonel's for the New Zealand Army

Lieutenant Colonel James Taylor Watson is the one I am researching at the moment

 

Any more clues - where did you get his name from? A book reference etc??

I presume he served in WW2..... Any idea on what unit he was with?

 

I got his name from his Grandson.
Dont really have much to go on was just hoping that his Rank might have made it easy to find information about him but I was wrong........ Again
I found him in WW1 as a Capitan (See Attachment)
I done a search on Archives New Zealand and found a James Taylor Watson but his files isn't public access.

 

In 1916 he was promoted to Major
Papers Past — Evening Post — 20 July 1916 — AUCKLAND REGIMENT.

 

Thanks Toni - hopefully he was a Captain and not a Capitan (Italian army rank?).

Like you, I found the WW1 references easy enough - he sailed from NZ in 1914 with the Wellington Rifles as a Captain and towards the end of the war in January 1918 it looks like he received a Mention in Despatches (MiD) with the rank of Major.

I have tried searching every NZ WW2 unit history available on-line with no luck. I tried searching for the history of units engaged in North Africa / Greece / Crete / Italy etc plus Pacific based units and some home-based publications.

The home-based publications don't have very good indexes but I tried every combination I could think of. The closest I found (in multiple books) was a LtCol C.N. Watson (*) but nothing for J.T.

I would hazard a guess that he didn't take part in any combat operations otherwise I am sure I would have spotted him by now in those books.

He would have been relatively old by the start of WW2 - already being a Captain when WW1 started.




* (Carl N. Watson, M.C. - taken POW 1942, married 23 July 1945 - his bride, formerly Miss Patricia von Keisenberg, leaving the Basilica.....)

 

He was head of the Wellington RSA (Returned Serviceman's Association) in 1929

Papers Past — Evening Post — 10 July 1929 — R.S.A. SECRETARY--



He resigned from the position in July 1932 due to ill health

Papers Past — Evening Post — 16 May 1933 — WELLINGTON R.S.A.--

 

Thanks heaps Dave

I found the following article about a Decoration he received but cant seem to find a picture of the decoration or what it is awarded for.
Hoping you can help

Papers Past — Evening Post — 20 February 1923 — INVESTITURE

 

Just using Google throws out all sorts of hits for the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers Decoration. The OMSA Medal Database - Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration, Edward VII - OMSA


Relatively uncommon - "It was awarded to officers of the New Zealand Volunteer Force, and later the New Zealand Territorial Forces, who had completed 20 years service. The decoration was superseded on 23 September 1931 by The New Zealand Efficiency Decoration. A total of 429 medals were awarded."

So if he received it in 1923 for 20 years of service, he started in 1903 - therefore born around 1885 - so 54 years old at the start of WW2.


In the 1932 paper is a photo of J.T. Watson (with medals) - but it looks dreadful on my laptop, I don't know if it works better on other machines. Maybe someone in NZ will be able to access the original.....

Click on the link, then at the bottom of the page click on the button for the page view.


Papers Past &mdash; Evening Post &mdash; 2 July 1932 &mdash; ' Crown Studios Photo.' MAJOR J. T. WATSON, who has resigned, the secretaryship < of. the Wellington... [truncated]--

 

Picture isnt any better on a desk top
When I see Brian Tomorrow I will let him know what I have found out so far and I will also contact NZDF to see if we are able to get a copy of his personnel records.

Thanks heaps for you help

 

Just spoke to NZDF and they are going to post out the Personnel records

 

HI Toni,

I don't know if you are still active on this forum. If you are let me know.

James Taylor Watson was my great granfather. I have the information of his military record which my father gave me. This is for the years 1896 - 1937.

Regards,
Wayne