421946 Flying Officer Clifford Arnold Watson, (18/7/1909-1/9/1943). "over Germany"

AIR FORCE CASUALTIES

Flying Officer Clifford Arnold Watson, who is reported to have been killed on air operations over Germany, was a son of Mr and Mrs W. J. Watson, 65 Banks street, Invercargill. He was educated at the Waihopai school and at the Southland Boys’ High School. On leaving school he joined the staff of the Commercial Bank in Invercargill. After some years in Invercargill he was transferred to Dunedin and, later, to Westport, where he was accountant at the time of his enlistment in the Air Force. Flying Officer Watson took a keen interest in rowing, and was a member of the Railway Rowing Club in Invercargill. He was also an early member of the first radio club in Invercargill. He was 33 years of age. Flying Officer Watson’s widow lives in Christchurch.  -Southland Times, 21/2/1944.

Photo from the International Bomber Command Centre.

FOR THE EMPIRE’S CAUSE 

WATSON. — Flying Officer Clifford Arnold Watson, dearly loved son of William James and Janet Watson, 65 Banks Street, and beloved husband of Ivy Mavis Watson, Christchurch. (Interred Municipal Cemetery, Mayschoss, Germany).  -Southland Times, 29/2/1944.

Clifford Watson was the navigator of a four-engined Stirling bomber which failed to return from a mission to Berlin.  It was hit by anti-aircraft fire which put the port inner engine out of action and damaged the tailplane.  Shortly after they were attacked by a night-fighter.  The plane lost height but flew on until the pilot saw they were almost out of fuel and ordered the crew to abandon the plane.  

The pilot (Pilot Officer Douglas Charles Henley) and another crewman (James Grant, who was wounded in the attack and discovered his parachute was damaged by fire) stayed aboard as the Stirling crashed.  Grant survived to be taken prisoner. Clifford Watson and another crewman, Ian Hector Ross Smith, died due to their parachutes not opening fully.  In all, three of the crew died and four were taken prisoner.

They were classified as missing until information arrived through the International Red Cross.

I am indebted to the "Aircrew Remembered" site for the above information.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.