Company Sergeant Major William Watt was the son of William Watt and Annie Watt (nee Scoular), of Hamilton, Lanarkshire, and husband of Elizabeth Black Blair Watt, of Burnback, Hamilton.
He served with HQ, B Squadron, 1st Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment and took part in the Battle of Arnhem, during Op Market Garden. He escaped back to the UK across the river. He was posthumously awarded the US Bronze Star in January 1947 for his actions. He was amongst a party of Glider Pilots en-route to India in December 1944.
Company Sergeant Major Watt died on 5 December 1944, aged 25 years old when Dakota FL588 from 24 Squadron RAF Transport Command, based at RAF Hendon, crashed on a snowy ridge in Ariege, near Mijanes in the Pyrenees, Southern France. 23 Airmen were onboard, 20 of which belonged to the GPR. Fifteen other men onboard died as a result of the crash. He is now buried in the Mazargues War Cemetery, Marseilles.
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Profile created with assistance from Phil Jennett
1947
