From oral reports given by members of the ship’s company and Clive Stewart-Lockhart, whose father had told him about HMS Wager:

The captain, Lt Cdr ‘Basher’ Watkin, a big man with a bushy beard, was a larger than life figure. It appears that he ran an efficient ship and, moreover, a ‘happy ship’ and, certainly, for the young officer, Sub-Lieutenant Kit Stewart-Lockhart, HMS Wager gave him his happiest time in his wartime naval service.