Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War ‘Second Battle of El-Alamein’ M.M. group of seven awarded to Private J. A. M. Watt, Royal Army Medical Corps, a stretcher bearer who was decorated for attending wounded ‘in an area swept by enemy machine-gun and mortar fire’ while accompanying the 7th Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during Operation Lightfoot on 23-24 October 1942

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (7363383 Pte. J. A. M. Watt. R.A.M.C.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, very fine (7) £700-£900

Provenance: Glendining’s, June 1984.

M.M. London Gazette 14 October 1943.

The original Recommendation states: ‘This man was stretcher bearer accompanying 7th Battalion The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the attack on 23rd/24th October 1942, at Alamein. When on October 24th casualties occurred in an area (East of ‘Stirling’), swept by enemy machine gun and mortar fire, Private Watt volunteered unhesitatingly to go out with Private Duffy to bring the wounded back. Many attempts proved unsuccessful owing to the accuracy of the enemy fire, but subsequently, in the early hours of 23th October, under cover of a screen of fire from our own machine guns, the party reached the wounded men and brought them to safety. Pte. Watt worked unsparingly throughout the operation, and showed devotion to duty of a very high order. At a later stage, for three days Private Watt voluntarily remained at an Ambulance Car Post in a position exposed to frequent shelling and bombing attacks and worked unsparingly in rendering first aid and bringing in casualties. Throughout the operation his courage and devotion to duty were of the highest order.’

James Arthur McKenzie Watt was born in Arbuthnott, Scotland, in 1919. He served during the Second World War with 176 Field Ambulance, attached to the 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of the 51st Highland Division in the Western Desert in 1942-43, and was awarded the Military Medal for attending wounded under fire on 23-24 October 1942 at the Second Battle of El-Alamein.

The 51st Highland Division arrived in Egypt in June/July 1942 having been being re-constituted after being virtually destroyed at St. Valery, France in 1940. The division served in North Africa, Tunisia, the Sicily Landings and at Adrano, Sicily before being withdrawn for the ‘D Day’ Landings in Normandy, the battles of Bourguebus Ridge and Falaise, Rhineland and the Rhine.

Watt died in Middlesbrough General Hospital on 21 July 1957 aged 37 years as a result of an accident in which he received extensive burns at Clay Lane Furnace, Middlesbrough, where he was employed as a Shift Superintendent.

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