James Watt (Royal Navy officer)

Surgeon Vice-Admiral Sir James Watt KBE FRCS (19 August 1914 – 28 December 2009) was a British surgeon, Medical Director-General of the Royal Navy, 1972–1977[1][2][3][4][5] and maritime historian.

He was born in Morpeth, Northumberland and was educated at the King Edward VI School there, before entering Durham University, where he qualified in medicine in 1938.

When the Second World War started he joined the Royal Navy, spending most of the time in the Far East, the North Atlantic and the Pacific.

[2] Posted initially to Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, he also saw service in Korea, Northern Ireland and Hong Kong.

He became a Surgeon Rear-Admiral when appointed Dean of Naval Medicine and Medical Officer in charge of the Institute of Naval Medicine in 1969 and was further promoted to Surgeon Vice-Admiral when appointed Medical Director-General of the Navy.