Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Signalman A. R. N. Watson, Royal Signals, late Royal Engineers, who served overseas during the Great War underage and with the scarce rank of ‘Boy’

1914 Star, with copy clasp (24828 Boy A. Watson. R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (24828 Spr. A. R. M. Watson. R.E.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Waziristan 1921-24 (2306458 Sgln. A. R. N. Watson. R. Signals.) third initial over-struck; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (2306458 Sgln. A. R. N. Watson. R. Signals) mounted court-style, light contact marks, very fine, ‘Boy’ a scarce rank on Star (5) £240-280

Arthur Robert Norton Watson was born in Kent on 24 January 1899, the son of Sergeant-Major John Watson, Royal Engineers, and followed in his father’s footsteps, joining the Royal Engineers as a ‘Boy’ soldier. He served during the Great War with the 2nd Signal Company, Royal Engineers, on the Western Front from 17 August 1914; unusually, his rank was recorded as ‘Boy’ and his 1914 Star was issued thus. He subsequently served in Waziristan with the newly formed Royal Corps of Signals, and later in Palestine. He died in Chichester, Sussex, in December 1981.