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Description: | Papers relating to his service as a staff officer (MO4 and 8) at the War Office (September 1939 - September 1941), including a ts letter (5pp, September 1939) from Murray Grant to the Under Secretary of State, War Office, London outlining a plan to drop 5-10 million bees “by parachute over the enemy positions” in a surprise attack from France; ms notes (1p, undated) made by Major Watson as duty officer at the War Office in the early hours of 10 May 1940 giving the initial notification that the Germans had invaded Belgium and Holland; a ts memorandum (2pp, undated) answering a telegram from the Marquis of Lothian on the reasons for the French failure to counterattack on the Somme against the German breakthrough, notably the lack of reserves, the paralysis of the French Command, the move of the 51st Division and the Armoured Division to Abbeville to support the French IX Corps (French Tenth Army), the piecemeal attack of the Armoured Division which “sustained very heavy casualties”, and the lack of planning or action by the French Command which “resulted in the cornering and capture of considerable forces”; a ms memorandum (4pp, undated) by Major Watson recording his three day visit to France (19-21 May 1940) with the CIGS (Field Marshal Lord Ironside) and Air Commodore Slessor, notably the journey to France for a conference (20 May 1940) at GHQ at Wahagnies to discuss the cabinet’s orders for the BEF to join the French on the Somme with the C-in-C (Field Marshal Lord Gort) and his CGS (Lieutenant General Sir Henry Pownall) who preferred to retreat to the channel ports, travelling on roads blocked by refugees to visit General Billotte’s HQ at Bethune which was a study of “complete inaction and ineffectiveness”, the attempts of the optimistic CIGS to galvanise the French generals (Billotte and Blanchard) into action, the air raids on GHQ, and the return to the War Office (21 May 1940); 4 Annexures (5pp, undated) to the ‘Conference between CIGS and Commander-in-Chief, BEF at 0845 hrs on 20 May 1940’ outlining the cabinet’s instructions, the steps taken to implement this policy, and the text of 2 telegrams from the CIGS to General Georges and the Secretary of State for War concerning the situation; ts notes (6pp, undated) by Major J S Watson reporting on his visit to the lines of communications south of the Somme (29 May 1940 - 1 June 1940) to meet Generals Karslake, De Fonblanque and their staffs and on the situation, dispositions, air activity, morale and mentioning Generals Fortune and Charles de Gaulle and including 3 ts Appendices (5pp, undated); a ts Order of Battle (16pp, undated) giving the formations, commanders and staff officers of the BEF in France and Belgium (?May 1940); a ts memorandum (No 1185/b/46. 1p, 14 September 1941) on ‘Operational Questions, Coast Artillery’ issued to HQ Iceland (C) Force from HQ, Fixed Forces, concerning points submitted for consideration during the visit of GSO1, MO8; a ts memorandum (1p, September 1941) issued by Lieutenant Colonel J A Head (GSO1, Iceland Forces) concerning the visit of Lieutenant Colonel Watson with a ts Appendix (2pp, undated) giving a provisional itinerary for his tour; a ts memorandum by Lieutenant Colonel C K Stewart, Iceland (C) Force concerning the port of Reykjavik and US logistics in Iceland; a ts ‘Revised Estimate of Strengths’ (1p, September 1941) by SD1, British and US Forces in Iceland; and a ts report (5pp, September 1941) on his visit to Iceland by Lieutenant Colonel Watson. Also included are a ts photocopy from ‘The Thin Red Line’ (1p, undated) publishing extracts from his letter (December 1944) remembering his active service with the 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in France in October 1914 and again in the autumn of 1918 when he was wounded; SS 535 on ‘Gas Defence’ (3pp, December 1916); a copy of a ts New Year’s Day Message to his Officers, NCOs and men (1p, January 1918) issued by Lieutenant General Sir Aylmer Weston (VIII Corps), exhorting them to train and prepare for the forthcoming battle; ts ‘Notes on the China Command, 1932’ (34pp, May 1932) with a Foreword, Introduction, and Notes on Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tientsin, and Peking, and a list of the commanders and Infantry Units in China stationed at Shanghai, Tientsin, Hong Kong, and Wei Hai Wei between 1929 and 1932; ts ‘Some Notes for Officers proceeding to North America’ issued by the Movements Staff, North America (9pp, undated) on money (including pay and allowances), uniform, civilian clothes, time, travelling, tipping, accommodation, meals, cables, private letters and parcels to the UK, families and forbidding press interviews without the permission of the Commander, British Army Staff, Washington; and a copy of a black and white photograph (1p) of Lieutenant Colonel Watson in uniform while serving with SHAEF.
Cataloguer SNR | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Watson, John Steel | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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