Four: Commander F. Douglas-Wastson, D.S.O., Royal Navy, who was awarded the D.S.O. for his gallantry in command of H.M.S. Pangbourne during the evacuation of Dunkirk, and was killed in action during a German bombing raid on Piraeus Harbour, Greece, on 7 April 1941

1914-15 Star (S.Lt. F. Douglas-Watson. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. F. Douglas-Watson. R.N.); Jubilee 1935, unnamed as issued, mounted as worn, some scratches to BWM, otherwise very fine (4) £600-£800

D.S.O. London Gazette 25 October 1940:
‘For good services in the withdrawal of the Allied Armies from the French Coast.’

The original Recommendation states: ‘H.M.S. Pangbourne left Harwich and arrived at Dunkirk on the evening of 28 May; she returned to Margate and disembarked 400 troops. On her second trip to Dunkirk she rescued the crew of the Clan Macalister. She was subjected to air attacks from 1645 to 1715 hours, and again from 1800 to 1900 hours on 29 May; the latter were particularly severe and caused some 24 casualties, including Belgian soldiers. On her way back she towed the badly damaged Gracie Fields, rescuing the latter’s crew when she sank.
After undergoing temporary repairs to D.G. wiring and for splinter damage, Pangbourne completed one more round trip to Dunkirk and also brought in a number of soldiers transferred to her by a trawler. In all she completed 3 round trips, bringing back 920 men.
Throughout, Commander Douglas-Watson displayed courage, resource, and professional skill of a high order in dangerous and most difficult conditions. The steadiness of the ship’s company in the face of severe air attack and casualties was an eloquent tribute to his leadership and example.’

Francis Douglas-Watson was born in Glasgow on 3 June 1896 and passed out of Dartmouth in April 1913, being appointed a Midshipman on 15 January 1914. He served throughout the Great War, initially in H.M.S. Superb, and from January 1916 he was Sub-Lieutenant in the Destroyers Welland and Lyra. Promoted Lieutenant on 15 March 1918, much of his post-War service was also in destroyers, both in the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian navy; among the destroyers he commanded were the Parramatta, Witherington, Vortigern, and Vivacious. Promoted Lieutenant-Commander on 15 March 1926, in 1935-37 he commanded mine-sweepers in reserve at the Nore, and was then appointed to command the Pangbourne as Senior Officer of the 3rd Minesweeping Flotilla in the Mediterranean, with the rank of Acting Commander.

For his services in command of the Pangbourne during the Dunkirk evacuations, Douglas-Watson was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. In April 1941, he was serving at H.M.S. Nile (the Royal Naval Base at Alexandria, Egypt) and on 7 April he was ashore in the Greek harbour of Piraeus when the British steamer Clan Fraser was damaged by a German bombing raid and set afire. At half past three in the morning the explosion of her TNT cargo sank the steamer and wrecked the harbour, killing Commander Douglas-Watson. He is buried in Phaleron War Cemetery, Greece.

Sold with a large quantity of copied research, including a photographic image of the recipient.