With the declaration of war in August 1914, Watson hoped to volunteer for service with the Royal Flying Corps - he had held a commission as a volunteer with the Royal Forfarshire Yeomanry, but was refused, being described as too old to fly. In a letter to his wife Beatrice, written presumably in the later months of 1914, published in Alistair W. Blair and Alistair Smith's book "The Pioneer Flying Achievements of Preston Watson", Preston explains a meeting with Lithuanian born Leo Anatole Jouques, employed by the War Office to manufacture aeroplanes under licence by his firm Jouques Aviation Works at Willesden and apparently well connected, who suggested to him he might be able to assist him with a commission with the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough.