Medal Entitlement: Victoria Cross, 1939 - 45 Star, Italy Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal (1939-45), War Medal (1939-45) |
VC Action: Lance-Sergeant John "Jack" Daniel Baskeyfield (November 18, 1922 - September 20, 1944) was 21 years old, and a Lance-Sergeant in the South Staffs, British Army, 1st Airborne Division during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
Baskeyfield received his call up papers to serve with the Anti-Tank Platoon, Support Company, 2nd Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment ("South Staffs"), in February 1942, when he was aged 17.
He was 21 years old, and a Lance-Sergeant in the South Staffs, British Army, 1st Airborne Division during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 20th September, 1944, during the Battle of Arnhem, Netherlands, Lance-Sergeant Baskeyfield was the NCO in charge of a 6-pounder anti-tank gun at Oosterbeek. During the early stages of a heavy enemy attack, the crew commanded by this NCO were responsible for the destruction of two Tiger tanks and at least one self-propelled gun, thanks to his coolness in allowing each tank to come well within 100 yards of his gun before opening fire. Lance-Sergeant Baskeyfield was badly wounded and the remainder of his crew were either killed or severely wounded, he refused to be carried away from his post, and when the attack was renewed he manned his gun alone and fired round after round until his gun was put out of action.
His activity was the main factor in keeping the German tanks at bay, and keeping together and in action the surviving men in his vicinity. When his gun was knocked out, he crawled to another nearby which was left without a crew and proceeded to man it single-handed. With this gun he engaged an enemy self-propelled gun which was approaching to attack. Another soldier crawled across the open ground to assist him but was killed almost at once. Lance-Sergeant Baskeyfield succeeded in firing two rounds at the self-propelled gun, scoring one direct hit which rendered it ineffective. Whilst preparing to fire a third shot, however, he was killed by a shell from a supporting enemy tank.
Lance-Sergeant Baskeyfield's body was never recovered from the battlefield. |
