https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Thomas_Colclough_WatsonThomas Colclough Watson - Revision history2026-09-07T02:30:57ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_Colclough_Watson&diff=363737&oldid=prevBot: robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.2022-08-31T16:17:25Z<p>robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my <a href="/wiki/User_talk:Bot" title="User talk:Bot">talk page</a>.</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Recipient of the Victoria Cross}}<br />
{{other people|Thomas Watson}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}<br />
{{Infobox military person<br />
| name = Thomas Colclough Watson<br />
| image =<br />
| caption = <br />
| birth_date = 11 April 1867<br />
| death_date = 15 June 1917 (aged 50)<br />
| birth_place = [[Velsen]], [[Netherlands]]<br />
| death_place = [[London]], England<br />
| placeofburial = <br />
| placeofburial_label = <br />
| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --><br />
| nickname = <br />
| birth_name = <br />
| allegiance = {{UK}}<br />
| branch = [[File:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[British Army]]<br />
| serviceyears = <br />
| rank = [[Lieutenant colonel]]<br />
| servicenumber = <br />
| unit = [[Corps of Royal Engineers]]<br />
| commands = <br />
| battles = [[First Mohmand Campaign]]<br>[[World War I]]<br />
* [[Mesopotamian campaign]]<br />
| battles_label = <br />
| awards = [[Victoria Cross]]<br />
| relations = <br />
| laterwork = <br />
| signature = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
Lieutenant Colonel '''Thomas Colclough Watson''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] (11 April 1867 – 15 June 1917) was a 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.<br />
<br />
He was educated at the [[King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth|King Edward VI Grammar School]] in [[Louth, Lincolnshire]].<ref>{{Cite news<br />
|title=Victoria Cross and medals from Lincolnshire hero to be auctioned<br />
|date=4 December 2014<br />
|newspaper=Lincolnshire Echo<br />
|url=http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/Victoria-Cross-medals-Lincolnshire-hero-auctioned/story-25152299-detail/story.html<br />
}}</ref><ref name="GT, VC" /><br />
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== Details ==<br />
Watson was 30 years old, and a [[lieutenant]] in the [[Corps of Royal Engineers]], [[British Army]], attached to the [[Bengal Engineers]], [[British Indian Army]]<ref>[http://www.bsoaroorkee.org/legend2.htm Unique Achievements] ''[[Bengal Engineers]]''. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915115708/http://www.bsoaroorkee.org/legend2.htm |date=15 September 2008 }}</ref> during the [[First Mohmand Campaign]] in [[British India]] when, on the night of 16/17 September 1897 in the Mamund Valley, North-West India, Lieutenant Watson and [[James Morris Colquhoun Colvin]] collected a party of volunteers (including James Smith) and led them into the dark and burning village of [[Bilot]], to try to dislodge the enemy who were inflicting losses on British troops. After being wounded and driven back by very heavy fire at close quarters, Lieutenant Watson made a second attempt to clear the village and only gave up after a second repulse and being again severely wounded.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26968|pages=3165–3165|date=20 May 1898}}</ref> An account mentioning him is given in [[Winston Churchill]]'s "The Story of the Malakand Field Campaign".<br />
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He later achieved the rank of [[lieutenant colonel]] dying in London of illness contracted whilst serving in [[Mesopotamia]] during [[World War I]]. He was cremated at [[Golders Green Crematorium]]. His wife Edith was awarded the [[Royal Red Cross]].<ref>[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/388117 CWGC entry]</ref><br />
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His medal sold at auction in December 2014 for £312,000.<ref name="GT, VC">{{Cite news<br />
|title = Victoria Cross awarded to Louth soldier is bought by billionaire Lord Ashcroft for over £300,000 at auction<br />
|date = 15 December 2014<br />
|newspaper = Grimsby Telegraph<br />
|url = http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Victoria-Cross-awarded-Louth-soldier-bought/story-25712976-detail/story.html<br />
|url-status = dead<br />
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20141216002959/http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Victoria-Cross-awarded-Louth-soldier-bought/story-25712976-detail/story.html<br />
|archivedate = 16 December 2014<br />
}}</ref> It was purchased by [[Michael Ashcroft|Lord Ashcroft]], a collector of Victoria Crosses, and will be displayed at the [[Imperial War Museum]].<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
*[[Monuments to Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)<br />
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (This England, 1997)<br />
*[[The Sapper VCs]] (Gerald Napier, 1998)<br />
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==External links==<br />
* [http://www.corbould.com/tcgbook/pdf_ocr/TCG-15_Way_of_Spaynes_Hall_ocr.pdf Biography]<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061218200907/http://www.remuseum.org.uk/rem_his_vc.htm#1w Royal Engineers Museum] Sappers VCs<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090623050143/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/golders.htm Location of grave] ''(Golders Green)''<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Thomas Colclough}}<br />
[[Category:1867 births]]<br />
[[Category:1917 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Dutch military personnel]]<br />
[[Category:Royal Engineers officers]]<br />
[[Category:British recipients of the Victoria Cross]]<br />
[[Category:British military personnel of the First Mohmand Campaign]]<br />
[[Category:People from Velsen]]<br />
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]<br />
[[Category:Bengal Engineers officers]]<br />
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich]]<br />
[[Category:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross]]<br />
[[Category:British military personnel killed in World War I]]</div>Bot