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David Watson, a native of Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, served with the Royal Munster Fusiliers at Gallipoli from 9 July 1915 before joining the 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment in France. He earned no less than three decorations by War's end.

Watson joined the Cameron Highlanders on 10 August 1921 and served until discharged to pension on 28 January 1937.

He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal which appeared in the London Gazette on 1 May 1918: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He himself shot several of the enemy who were offering resistance, and bombed the shafts of a trench system where they were holding out. He then, on his own initiative, collected a party of bombers, with which he successfully mopped up some enemy snipers, twelve of whom he took prisoners. Later he took out a covering party, remaining in a position whence he could protect a wiring party, only withdrawing when the wiring was complete. All through the engagement his fearlessness and initiative were beyond all praise.’ The Military Medal which appeared in the London Gazette on13 November 1918. And a second Award Bar to the Military Medal which appeared in the London Gazette on 14 May 1919.

Rejoining the Camerons on the outbreak of the Second World War, he quickly found himself deployed with the British Expeditionary Force in France. Following the Fall of the country and the subsequent evacuation of Dunkirk, Watson was one of those who ended up at St. Nazaire to await evacuation.

Operation Aerial was launched to effect the rescue of the remaining Allied troops and civilians from Atlantic ports - particularly St. Nazaire and Nantes - over 15-16 June 1940; the Luftwaffe attacked the evacuation ships as frequently as possible and, on 17 June, evaded R.A.F. fighter patrols to sink the Cunard liner and troopship H.M.T. Lancastria in the Loire estuary. The horrific details are all too well-known today: Lancastria sank quickly and vessels in the area were still under attack during rescue operations: the gallant actions of others saved some 2,477 passengers and crew, but the liner had thousands more troops, R.A.F. personnel and civilians on board the overcrowded ship and the number who died in the sinking is unknown - it is, however, believed that well over 3,500 people subsequently drowned, making the disaster the greatest loss of life in British maritime history. Indeed, news of the sinking was repressed on the personal orders of Winston Churchill out of concern for what it would do for the morale of the nation.

 Watson was one of those tragically killed on 17 June 1940 and is commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial.

The medal group awarded to Watson; Distinguished Conduct Medal ; Military Medal, with Second Award Bar; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals; 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C. medal.