AMERICAN D.F.C.

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1943, Page 4

AMERICAN D.F.C.

N.Z. PILOT HONOURED. WASHINGTON, May 12. ’The Navy ha’s awarded the D.F.C. to Flight-Lieutenant W R. B Watson leader of the New Zealand Squadron serving with the United States Marines on Guadalcanal 1 , for “outstanding leadership and. unyielding devotion to duty, which contributed greatly to the success of otn forces Watson led the squadron on its first night bombing raid on the Munda' airfield, successfully bombing the runway despite heavy anti-air-craft fire and bad weather.

FIRST AWARD TO NEW ZEALANDER.

PA WELLINGTON, May 14. Commenting on,the American decoration to Flight Lieutenant Watson the Air Department stated that he was the commander of a flight of one of the R.N.Z.A.F. squadrons serving at an advanced Pacific base. During the period he was stationed at Guadalcanal’ the aircraft of the flight had been engaged on night bombing missions with successful results. Flight Lieutenant Watson, has since returned to New Zealand, where he is now serving. The award of the American D.F.C. is the first of its kind to a R.N.Z.A.F. officer serving in the Pacific. Flight Lieutenant Watson was born in Auckland in 1911 and educated at Wanganui College and Pembroke College, Cambridge University, where he graduated Master of Arts, with Honours in Lavw He was a sharebroker in Wellington at the time of his appointment to a commission in the R.N.Z.A.F. Reserve.