John Baskeyfield
Victoria Cross recipient
Died when: 21 years 307 days (262 months)Star Sign: Scorpio
John Daniel Baskeyfield VC (18 November 1922 – 20 September 1944) was a British Army soldier an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces.
Born in 1922, Baskeyfield was called up to the British Army in early 1942.He served with the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, a glider infantry unit of the 1st Airlanding Brigade, part of the 1st Airborne Division, in Sicily and Italy in 1943 before returning to the United Kingdom.
The division was next deployed in Operation Market Garden and fought in the subsequent Battle of Arnhem.While defending the Oosterbeek perimeter three days into the battle, Baskeyfield commanded a pair of anti-tank guns that destroyed several enemy tanks before the crews were killed.
Baskeyfield subsequently fired the guns alone before he too was killed.His body was not identified after the war and he has no known grave.
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