Katherine Watt

Dame Katherine Christie Watt, (31 August 1886 – 1 November 1963) was a Scottish nurse and civil servant. She served in the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service during the First World War, the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service in the inter-war period reaching the rank of Matron-in-Chief (1930–1938), and worked at the Ministry of Health during and immediately after the Second World War. As Chief Nursing Officer from 1941 to 1948, she was actively involved in the plans for the new National Health Service (NHS).

Honours
On 3 June 1930, Watt was awarded the Royal Red Cross (First Class) (RRC) "in recognition of exceptional devotion and competency displayed in Royal Air Force hospitals at home and in Iraq". In the 1935 King's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In the 1945 King's Birthday Honours, she was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in recognition of her service as Chief Nursing Officer, and thereby granted the title dame. In July 1959, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of St John (CStJ).