Orders, Decorations and Medals

Eight: Chief Petty Officer W. J. Watts, Royal Navy

British War and Victory Medals (J.48033 A.B. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45, these unnamed; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue (J.48033 P.O. H.M.S. Medway) first two and last mounted as worn, these with contact marks, worn through polishing; others nearly extremely fine (8) £140-180

Walter James Watts was born in Greenwich, London on 12 November 1898. Employed as a Case Maker, he volunteered for service in the Royal Navy on 2 November 1915, serving initially as a Boy aboard the training ship Powerful at Devonport. He then served as a Boy and later as an Ordinary Seaman aboard the pre-dreadnaught battleship Cornwallis, leaving the ship just three days before she was sunk by the U.32 on 9 January 1917. Service on the armoured cruiser Europa followed, January - October 1917, during which time he was advanced to Able Seaman. After service at Chatham, October 1917-April 1918, he was transferred to destroyers. Promoted to Leading Seaman in 1921, he joined the cruiser Hawkins, the flagship of the Far Eastern Squadron, in March 1923 and was advanced to Acting Petty Officer in July 1924 and Petty Officer in July 1925. Watts was awarded the L.S. medal in 1932 whilst serving on the submarine depot ship Medway. He was promoted to Chief Petty Officer on 24 June 1935. During the Second World War he served as C.P.O. (Torpedo Gunner’s Mate) aboard the cruiser Dragon, August 1939-December 1942 and thence the shore bases at Liverpool and Chatham, being released from service on 20 March 1947.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation including Certificate of Service; Torpedo History Sheet; Electrical Trade Certificate; other Trade Certificates (2); Vocational Training Certificate; letters of recommendation; newspaper clippings - mainly regarding Prince George, 4th son of King George V, later the Duke of Kent, who went on a tour to the Far East, serving for a time on the Hawkins; also with a number of postcard photographs of the recipient, Prince George, H.M.S. Hawkins and other vessels, views of the Far East etc.