Leading Airman, Fleet Air Arm
Born: June 8th 1921
Died: August 19th 1941
Age at Death: 21
Killed on active service, August 19th 1941
Guardian: Mrs E M Watson, Saltdean, Sussex
George Watson was born on 8 June 1921 in Edinburgh to Elsie and James Watson. When he left the College in 1938, the reason for removal was listed as ‘war’, showing the mounting nervousness about conflict, particularly on the south coast, at this early stage.
After school he studied aeronautical engineering in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, probably at the De Havilland Aeronautical Technical School. He enrolled in the Royal Navy in 1941, to train as a pilot at Netheravon Air Field Camp on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.
On 19 August, he was flying a Hawker Hart light bomber, with a fellow pilot acting as navigator. The plane flew into the ground half a mile south-east of Claverton Church, three miles east-south-east of Bath. The official records state that the pilots had decided to engage in ‘unauthorised low-flying’. As a consequence, they hit electricity cables and crashed in flames. However, there were high winds on the day, which may have affected the flying conditions. In writing to the Head Master about George’s death, his mother also expressed concerns about his younger brother Leslie, who was still at the school:
Leslie had a very sad holiday, as he & Ronald were such close pals as they spent most of their lives together being educated at the same schools. I hope it doesn’t affect his work & games this term.
Watson is buried in the cemetery of All Saints Church, Netheravon.