{{Short description|British Army general (1888–1967)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{EngvarB|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = General | name = Sir Daril Watson | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GCB|CBE|MC}} | image = PORTRAIT H42953 (cropped).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Lieutenant-General Sir Daril Watson in 1946 | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date|1888|10|17|df=yes}} | birth_place = Edmonton, London, England | death_date = {{death date and age|1967|07|01|1888|10|17|df=yes}} | death_place = Hadlow Down, Uckfield, East Sussex, England | burial_place = | allegiance = United Kingdom | branch = British Army | service_years = 1914–1947 | rank = General | service_number = 9758 | unit = Royal Fusiliers<br>Highland Light Infantry<br>Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry | commands = Western Command (1944–1946)<br/>2nd Infantry Division (1940–1941)<br/>Senior Officers' School, Belgaum (1937–1939)<br/>1st Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (1934–1937) | battles = First World War<br/>Second World War | awards = Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath<br/>Commander of the Order of the British Empire<br/>Military Cross<br/>Mentioned in Despatches<br/>Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) | relations = | other_work = }} General '''Sir Daril Gerard Watson''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100|sep=,|GCB|CBE|MC}} (17 October 1888 − 1 July 1967) was a senior British Army officer who saw service during both the First and Second World Wars.
==Military career== Born on 17 October 1888, Daril Watson was educated at Mercers' School and, upon the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, enlisted into the British Army, joining the 10th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=323}}<ref name=lh>[http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/WATSON3.shtml Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives]</ref> He was commissioned into the Highland Light Infantry the following year, serving with the regiment's 12th Battalion, and was awarded the Military Cross in 1917, the same year of his marriage.<ref name=lh/>{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=323}}
After attending the Staff College, Camberley from 1924 to 1925, Watson transferred to the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (DCLI) in 1928, becoming commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, DCLI in 1934.<ref name=lh/> In 1937 he was appointed commandant of the Senior Officers' School, Belgaum, in India.<ref name=lh/>{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=323}}
Watson saw service in the Second World War, initially as a brigadier on the General Staff at Eastern Command and then moving on to the General Staff of III Corps.<ref name=lh/>{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=323}} He was appointed General Officer Commanding 2nd Infantry Division in India in 1940 and Director of Staff Duties at the War Office in 1941.<ref name=lh/> In 1942 he was appointed Assistant Chief of the Imperial General Staff and then Deputy Adjutant General.<ref name=lh/> In 1944 he moved on to be General Officer Commanding-in-Chief for Western Command.<ref name=lh/>{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=323}}
Promoted to general on 17 August 1946,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37701|supp=y|page=4295|date=17 June 1946}}</ref> Watson became Quartermaster-General to the Forces in 1946 and retired in 1947.<ref name=lh/>{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=323}}
During retirement Watson became a member of the board of the British Transport Commission.<ref>[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1949/dec/08/socialised-industries-boards#S5CV0470P0_19491208_CWA_139 Socialised Industries (Boards)] Hansard, 8 December 1949</ref>{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=323}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==Bibliography== *{{cite book|first=Nick|last=Smart|title=Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War|isbn=1844150496|year=2005|location=Barnsley|publisher=Pen and Sword Books}}
==External links== *[http://www.unithistories.com/officers/Army_officers_W01.html#Watson_DG British Army Officers 1939−1945] *[https://generals.dk/general/Watson/Daril_Gerard/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Alfred Evans-Gwynne}} {{s-ttl|title=Commandant of the Senior Officers' School, Belgaum|years=1937–1939}} {{s-aft|after=William Slim}} |- {{s-bef|before=Noel Irwin}} {{s-ttl|title=GOC 2nd Infantry Division|years=1940–1941}} {{s-aft|after=John Grover}} |- {{s-bef|before=Gordon Macready}} {{s-ttl|title=Assistant Chief of the Imperial General Staff|years=July–December 1942}} {{s-aft|after=John Evetts}} |- {{s-bef|before=Sir Edmond Schreiber}} {{s-ttl|title=GOC-in-C Western Command|years=1944–1946}} {{s-aft|after=Sir Brian Horrocks}} |- {{s-bef|before=Sir Thomas Riddell-Webster}} {{s-ttl|title=Quartermaster-General to the Forces|years=1946–1947}} {{s-aft|after=Sir Sidney Kirkman}} |- {{s-hon}} {{s-bef|before=Sir Walter Venning}} {{s-ttl|title=Colonel of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry|years=1947–1953}} {{s-aft|after=Vyvyan Evelegh}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Daril}} Category:1888 births Category:1967 deaths Category:British Army generals of World War II Category:British Army personnel of World War I Category:British Transport Commission Category:Commandants of the Senior Officers' School, Belgaum Category:Commanders of the Legion of Merit Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry officers Category:Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley Category:Highland Light Infantry officers Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Category:People educated at Mercers' School Category:People from Edmonton, London Category:Recipients of the Military Cross Category:Royal Fusiliers soldiers Category:War Office personnel in World War II Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Enfield Category:British Army generals