Page 56 - QARANC Vol 19 No 1 2021

54 The Gazette QARANC Association
Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) George Watson TD RAMC
1944 – 8 Nov 2020
George was born in Cleveland. He joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in January 1962 and trained as a Medical Assistant until 1966, serving with 23 Parachute Field Ambulance in Radfan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Cyprus.
He undertook his nurse training from 1966-1969 at Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot. After qualifying as a State Registered Nurse (SRN) in 1969, he served in BAOR and Northern Ireland and was commissioned in the first group of male nurses in 1974. He served in Hong Kong, BAOR, UK and Northern Ireland and was granted a Regular Commission in 1976. He took premature voluntary retirement in 1981.
George qualified as a Nurse Tutor in 1982 and worked as a Nurse Tutor at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton.
He then went on to become Senior Lecturer at Teesside University until his retirement in 1997.
George joined 223 Field Ambulance in 1981 and became 2nd in Command in 1984. He transferred to 201 General Hospital in 1985. He was appointed Matron in 1986 on promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. Following his tenure as Matron, he continued to serve with 201 until April 2000. During this time, he served for a period of time as Officer in Command of a Multi- National Hospital in Sipova, Bosnia. He was awarded the TD in 1993, the clasp in 1999 and the Order of St John in 2000.
George continued to serve as County Nursing Officer to Northumbria and Cleveland Army Cadet Forces. In 2009 he was awarded the Army Cadet Medal.
George had two children, Julie and
Craig with his first wife Beth (Staff Sergeant Betty Cook QARANC).
He died peacefully at home in North Yorkshire being cared for by his wife Margaret (Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Margaret Munro-Watson).
May he rest in peace.
Doreen Williams in QAIMNS(R) ward dress
a difficult time for Doreen with a new baby and no family nearby to help. The Scottish climate was very different to Iran, and she had to grapple with the Scottish accent. She thought her neighbour was called Mrs Bud but eventually discovered her surname was Bird. Doreen was also shocked to find out that, in those days, Christmas Day was not an official holiday.
George passed away in 1968 and she said that it was her strong faith, love
Doreen Ruth Williams (nee Booth)
31 August 1922 – 4 October 2020
Doreen Ruth Williams (known as Dordy) was born in Cologne where her father was serving with the Royal Artillery during the Army of Occupation. He was a veteran of WW1 and had been awarded the Military Cross in 1916. Her mother read History at Bedford College for Women (affiliated to London University), graduating in 1921. The oldest of three siblings, Doreen completed her schooling in Suffolk, but visited her parents regularly and had fond memories of their time in India.
Doreen trained as a Registered General Nurse at King’s College Hospital, London from 1941 to 1944 when she witnessed the blitz and V1 and V2 bombing. This was followed by training as a Registered Midwife, and employment at a hospital in Epsom, Surrey. On 7 January 1944, her father, Lt Col Arnold John Booth MC, was killed in action in Burma and from then on Doreen was determined to join the Army. She volunteered for full time
service in QAIMNS(R) in 1947. Her first short appointment was to a Families Ward at the Royal Herbert Military Hospital, Woolwich before being posted to the Midwifery Unit followed by a Male Medical Ward at No. 29 BMH Hannover. She was posted to No. 6 BMH Iserlohn in 1948. In her free time, she travelled widely across Germany sightseeing, she learned to ski and joined the amateur dramatics society at each unit.
In 1949 she accepted a Staff Nurse post at a hospital in Abadan, Iran run by the Anglo - Iranian Oil Company. There, she met her future husband, George, who was an engineer at an oil refinery. She first encountered him as a belligerent patient on her ward, complaining about the lack of chutney with his curry! George came from the mining valleys of Wales. They were married in North Wales in 1951 and shared a love of rugby and choral singing throughout their time together.
The British were obliged to leave Iran following the nationalisation of the oil industry in 1952 and George secured employment with British Petroleum (BP) in Grangemouth, Scotland. It was