Donald Eric Ogilvy Watson was born in Tamworth, Staffordshire on 29 April 1915, the son of Donald Charles and Muriel Calder Ogilvy Watson (née Hardy). He was appointed Acting Sub Lieutenant (Probationary) RNR on 1 June 1935. On 11 April 1937 he was listed as a Sub Lieutenant (Probationary) Royal Navy. On 2 January 1939 he was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN for the submarine course and for HMS L26 as Third Hand on 14 April 1939, followed by HMS TRUANT as Third Hand on 15 September 1939. TRUANT conducted ten War Patrols off Norway and in the North Sea before being sent to the Mediterranean where a further eight War Patrols were conducted before Donald Watson was appointed as First Lieutenant on 3 May 1941.

It is unclear when Donald Watson left TRUANT but, on 16 February 1942, he was appointed to DOLPHIN for the Commanding Officers Qualifying Course. Having successfully passed the course he was appointed to HMS P511 in command on 9 April 1942 and, on 11 August 1942 he was appointed to HMS UNBEATEN in command. UNBEATEN left for a war patrol in the Bay of Biscay on 23 October 1942. Part of the patrol was the conduct of a special operation on the coast of Spain which was reported as having been completed. UNBEATEN was ordered to leave patrol on 8 November and was routed home. On 11 November 1942, UNBEATEN was lost with all hands when she was attacked and sunk by an RAF Wellington of Coastal Command in the Bay of Biscay. UNBEATEN had been ordered to indicate her position but did not reply and was declared overdue after not arriving at an agreed rendezvous position.

Donald Ogilvy Watson of Wadhurst, Sussex was the husband of Roma Mary Bulleid Watson. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel 62 Column 1.