WW2 Group to a Jewish man in the SA Tank Corps & SA Armd Car Regt - DESERT RATS!

WW2 Group consisting of 1939-45 Star, Africa Star (with 8th Army bar), War Medal and Africa Service Medal all correctly named to 170053 P.O. Watson

Percy Oswald WATSON, a young Jewish Theatre manager, joined the South African Tank Corps on the 12^th June 1940. His first posting was to No 5 Armoured Car Company where he was trained at the Armoured Fighting Vehicle Training Centre for a period of 6 months. Four momths later and now transferred to the 4^th Armoured car Company, he embarked at Durban on the “Empress of Australia” bound for the Middle east. He arrived at Suez after a two week long voyage on the 6^th may 1941. Following a spell detached to the 2^nd Eshelon, UDF Forces as a base Sergeant, he was posted to the 4^th South African Armoured Car Regiment from the SA Tank Corps General List on the 21^st February 1942. The 4^th SA Armd Car Regt was awarded the famous Desert Rat Emblem for it’s role in the the 4^th Recce battalion “Desert Rats”. Of interest, Lt Harry Oppenheimer, later Chairman of the Anglo American Corporation served as an officer in this unit until July 1942 when he was posted back to South Africa.

During the re-organisation prior to the second Battle of El Alamein, the 4^th and 6^th SA Armoured Car Regiments were combined, Sgt Watson being posted to the new 4/6^th Armd Car Regt. This unit had the distinction under the command of Lt Col Reeves-Moore of breaking through with the British Armour on the 4^th of November 1942 and with this the Enemy retreated and the Battle of El Alamein was won. Watson was sent back to the union and was attached to the First Imperial Light Horse Regiment (1st ILH) at Piet Retief on the 12^th August 1943.

The group comes with his medal entitlement slip and papers.  His papers say he was "Recommended for an MID but no grant" and it looks like it was never awarded, his medal slip confirming the above group as his full entitlement.