"TOO OLD."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9652, 8 July 1919, Page 5

"TOO OLD."

The Military Cross is awarded only to officers and warrant officers. Yet a man weanng private's umfoim, has received the decoration from the King's hands at Buckingham Palace, and his Majesty^ -made this remark: «So they thought you were too old for a commission 1 Yours is the spmt The' circumstances under which redtape was .defeated are interesting. Hie KiWs visitor was Sapper T. \\ atson. of the Royal Engineers. In private life an assistant engineer | in the G.P.0., Capetown, he served as a* commissioned officer m the SouthWest" campaign under General Botha and was awarded the Cross for meritorious service in the field. The campaign finished, ho applyd for a commission. The War Of :co refused. Watson was too old, -tlicj SaSo he joined the .Royal Enginerrs as a sapper, ■ and saw active- "-ervico. When released he spent a holiday m Scotland. .^ .. He was ordered to npponr at the Palace.to receive the Cross, and turned up in his private's uniform. The officials were in a quandary. Watson insisted he had earned the Cross, and the only uniform he was entitled to wear was the one. he stood

in. v , , The War Office wi>s telephoned ti>, and suggested a, postponement of the. .presentation. 11 The sapper objected, and eventually a general officer decided to Fee the King on the matter. The sequel is told above.