John Watson (Indian Army officer) - Revision history

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	==Later military career==		==Later military career==
	[[File:John Watson grave.jpg\|thumb\|Grave in the churchyard of St James, Finchampstead\|240x240px]]Following this, Watson took part in further fighting around [[Siege of Cawnpore\|Cawnpore]] and then the [[Relief of Lucknow]]. After this he returned to England briefly on convalescence leave before returning to India.<ref name=Ashcroft67>Ashcroft 2007, p. 67.</ref> In 1858, he raised the 4th Sikh Irregular Cavalry which later became the [[6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)]]. He later took part in the [[Umbeyla Expedition]] (1863) and commanded the [[Central India Horse]], 1871. He became Resident at [[Gwalior]], 1877; Officiating Adjutant-General in Central India, 1871; commanded the Cavalry despatched from Bombay to Malta, 1878;<ref name="IndianBio">{{cite book\|title=The Indian Biographical Dictionary\|editor=C. Hayavando Rao\|publisher=Pillar & Co.\|location=Madras\|year=1915\|pages=459–60\|url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Indian_Biographical_Dictionary_%281915%29/Watson,_General_Sir_John\|accessdate=15 March ~~2022~~}}</ref> and then commanded the Punjab chief's contingent of the [[Kurram Valley Field Force]] in the [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]] (1879–80).{{sfn\|Roberts\|1897\|p=375}} In 1891 he was promoted to the rank of [[general]].{{sfn\|Ashcroft \|2007\|p=67}}		[[File:John Watson grave.jpg\|thumb\|Grave in the churchyard of St James, Finchampstead\|240x240px]]Following this, Watson took part in further fighting around [[Siege of Cawnpore\|Cawnpore]] and then the [[Relief of Lucknow]]. After this he returned to England briefly on convalescence leave before returning to India.<ref name=Ashcroft67>Ashcroft 2007, p. 67.</ref> In 1858, he raised the 4th Sikh Irregular Cavalry which later became the [[6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)]]. He later took part in the [[Umbeyla Expedition]] (1863) and commanded the [[Central India Horse]], 1871. He became Resident at [[Gwalior]], 1877; Officiating Adjutant-General in Central India, 1871; commanded the Cavalry despatched from Bombay to Malta, 1878;<ref name="IndianBio">{{cite book\|title=The Indian Biographical Dictionary\|editor=C. Hayavando Rao\|publisher=Pillar & Co.\|location=Madras\|year=1915\|pages=459–60\|url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Indian_Biographical_Dictionary_%281915%29/Watson,_General_Sir_John\|accessdate=15 March 2010}}</ref> and then commanded the Punjab chief's contingent of the [[Kurram Valley Field Force]] in the [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]] (1879–80).{{sfn\|Roberts\|1897\|p=375}} In 1891 he was promoted to the rank of [[general]].{{sfn\|Ashcroft \|2007\|p=67}}

	Watson also served in a number of other roles, including [[Aide-de-Camp]] to Her Majesty Empress Victoria, 1870–71 and the Agent to the Governor-General at [[Vadodara\|Baroda]] from 1882 until 1886, for which he was subsequently knighted as a Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Bath]] (KCB) in 1886. He was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the order (GCB) in the [[1902 Coronation Honours]] list published on 26 June 1902,<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times \|title=The Coronation Honours \|date=26 June 1902 \|page=5 \|issue=36804\| }}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette \|issue=27448 \|supp=y \|date=26 July 1902 \|pages=4189–4190}}</ref> and was invested by King [[Edward VII]] at [[Buckingham Palace]] on 8 August 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times \|title=Court Circular \|date=9 August 1902 \|page=6 \|issue=36842\| }}</ref>		Watson also served in a number of other roles, including [[Aide-de-Camp]] to Her Majesty Empress Victoria, 1870–71 and the Agent to the Governor-General at [[Vadodara\|Baroda]] from 1882 until 1886, for which he was subsequently knighted as a Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Bath]] (KCB) in 1886. He was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the order (GCB) in the [[1902 Coronation Honours]] list published on 26 June 1902,<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times \|title=The Coronation Honours \|date=26 June 1902 \|page=5 \|issue=36804\| }}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette \|issue=27448 \|supp=y \|date=26 July 1902 \|pages=4189–4190}}</ref> and was invested by King [[Edward VII]] at [[Buckingham Palace]] on 8 August 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times \|title=Court Circular \|date=9 August 1902 \|page=6 \|issue=36842\| }}</ref>

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=John Watson
|honorific_suffix=
|birth_date={{birth date|1829|09|06|df=yes}}
|death_date={{Death date and age|1919|01|23|1829|09|06|df=yes}}
|birth_place= [[Chigwell]], [[Essex]]
|death_place=[[Finchampstead]], [[Berkshire]]
|placeofburial=St James Churchyard, Finchampstead
|image=General Sir J. Watson V.C., K.C.B..JPG
|image_size=225
|caption=
|nickname=
|allegiance={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|serviceyears=1848–?
|rank=[[General (United Kingdom)|General]]
|branch=
{{plainlist|
*[[Bengal Army]]
*{{army|British India|23px}}
}}
|commands=[[6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)|4th Sikh Irregular Cavalry]]
|unit=
|battles=
{{plainlist|
*[[Second Anglo-Sikh War]]
*[[Indian Mutiny]]
*[[Second Anglo-Afghan War]]
*[[Umbeyla Campaign]]
}}
|awards=
{{plainlist|
*[[Victoria Cross]]
*[[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]
}}
|laterwork=
}}
[[General (United Kingdom)|General]] '''Sir John Watson''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|VC|GCB}} (6 September 1829 – 23 January 1919) was an [[England|English]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces. An [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]] serving with the [[Bengal Army]], Watson received his Victoria Cross for actions at [[Lucknow]] during the [[Indian Mutiny]]. He later rose to the rank of [[general]] in the [[British Indian Army]].

==Early life==
Watson was born on 6 September 1829 in [[Chigwell]], [[Essex]].<ref name=Ashcroft64>Ashcroft 2007, p. 64.</ref> His father was William George Watson.<ref name="IndianBio" /> In 1848,<ref name="IndianBio" /> at the age of 19, Watson traveled to London seeking to join the army of the [[British East India Company]]. Joining the [[Bengal Army]] as an [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]] he was initially sent to [[Madras]]. This offered little prospect of action, however, and Watson sought transfer to [[Bombay]].<ref name=Ashcroft64/>

His first combat action came in December 1848 during the [[Second Anglo-Sikh War]] when Watson took part in the [[Siege of Multan]], while serving with the [[1st Bombay European Fusiliers]].<ref name=Ashcroft64/> Shortly afterwards he took part in the [[Battle of Gujrat]].<ref>Ashcroft 2007, p. 65.</ref>

==Victoria Cross details==
Watson was 28 years old, and a [[lieutenant]] in the [[11th Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force)|1st Punjab Cavalry]], [[Bengal Army]] during the [[Indian Mutiny]] when the following deed took place on 14 November 1857 at [[Lucknow]], [[India]], for which he was awarded the VC:
{{quote|Lieut. Watson, on 14 Nov., with his own squadron, and that under Captain, then Lieut. Probyn, came upon a body of the rebel cavalry. The Ressaldar in command of them – a fine specimen of the Hindustani Mussalman – and backed up by some half-dozen equally brave men, rode out to the front. Lieutenant Watson singled out this fine-looking fellow and attacked him. The Ressaldar presented his pistol at Lieut. Watson's breast at a yard's distance and fired, but most providentially without effect; the ball must have by accident previously fallen out. Lieutenant Watson ran the man through with his sword and dismounted him; but the native officer, nothing daunted, drew his tulwar, and with his sowars renewed his attack upon Lieutenant Watson, who bravely defended himself until his own men joined in the melee, and utterly routed the party. In this rencontre Lieutenant Watson received a blow on the head from a tulwar, another on the left arm, which severed his chain gauntlet glove, a tulwar cut on his right arm, which fortunately only divided the sleeve of his jacket, but disabled the arm for some time; a bullet also passed through his coat, and he received a blow on his leg which lamed him for some days afterwards.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22154|page=2960|date=18 June 1858}}</ref>}}

==Later military career==
Following this Watson took part in further fighting around [[Siege of Cawnpore|Cawnpore]] and then the [[Relief of Lucknow]]. After this he returned to England briefly on convalescence leave before returning to India.<ref name=Ashcroft67>Ashcroft 2007, p. 67.</ref> In 1858, Watson raised the 4th Sikh Irregular Cavalry which later became the [[6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)]]. He later took part in the [[Umbeyla Expedition]] (1863) and commanded the Central India Horse, 1871. He became Resident at Gwalior, 1877; Officiating Adjutant-General in Central India, 1871; commanded the Cavalry despatched from Bombay to Malta, 1878; and then commanded the Kurram Field Force (Punjab chief's contingent) in the [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]] (1879–80).<ref name="IndianBio">{{cite book|title=The Indian Biographical Dictionary|editor=C. Hayavando Rao|publisher=Pillar & Co.|location=Madras|year=1915|pages=459–60|url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Indian_Biographical_Dictionary_%281915%29/Watson,_General_Sir_John|accessdate=15 March 2010}}</ref> In 1891 he was promoted to the rank of [[general]].<ref name=Ashcroft67/>

Watson also served in a number of others roles including [[Aide-de-Camp]] to Her Majesty Empress Victoria, 1870–71 and the Agent to the Governor-General at Baroda from 1882 until 1886, for which he was subsequently knighted as a Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Bath]] (KCB) in 1886. He was promoted to a Knight Grand Cross of the order (GCB) in the [[1902 Coronation Honours]] list published on 26 June 1902,<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |articlename=The Coronation Honours |day_of_week=Thursday |date=26 June 1902 |page_number=5 |issue=36804| }}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27448 |supp=y |date=26 July 1902 |pages=4189–4190}}</ref> and was invested by King [[Edward VII]] at [[Buckingham Palace]] on 8 August 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |articlename=Court Circular |day_of_week=Saturday |date=9 August 1902 |page_number=6 |issue=36842| }}</ref>

He was also made [[Colonel of the Regiment]] of the 13th Duke of Connaught Lancers in 1904.<ref name="IndianBio" />

He died on 23 January 1919, aged 89, at [[Finchampstead]] in [[Berkshire]]. His grave lies in the churchyard of St James in the village.<ref name=Ashcroft67/> His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the [[Imperial War Museum]], London.
[[File:John Watson grave.jpg|thumb|The grave of John Watson in the churchyard of St James, Finchampstead.]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book|last=Ashcroft|first=Michael|title=Victoria Cross Heroes|year=2007|publisher=Headline Publishing Group|location=London|isbn=978-0-7553-1633-5}}

==Further reading==
*[[Monuments to Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (This England, 1997)

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041214215530/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/berkshir.htm Location of grave and VC medal] ''(Berkshire)''
*[http://www.sothebys.com/app/live/lot/LotDetail.jsp?lot_id=XD7R VC medal auction details]{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, John}}
[[Category:1829 births]]
[[Category:1919 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Chingford]]
[[Category:People from Finchampstead]]
[[Category:British recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:British Indian Army generals]]
[[Category:British East India Company Army officers]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Sikh War]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the Umbeyla Campaign]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Afghan War]]