THE PARACHUTE REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION

DURHAM COUNTY BRANCH

 

Victoria Crosses

 

VC’S AWARDED TO AIRBORNE FORCES.

 

The Victoria Cross was created for valour and extreme courage beyond that normally expected of a British serviceman in the face of the enemy. Since the medal was minted 136 years ago, only 1,354 have been awarded, eight of them being made to officers and men of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces.
Five of the Victoria Crosses awarded to Airborne Forces were made in recognition of outstanding valour and courage at Arnhem,
in which more than 7,000 men were reported missing, wounded or killed.

On September 20 1944, during the battle for Arnhem, Lance Sergeant John Baskeyfield of the Staffordshire regiment, was in charge of an anti-tank gun at Oosterbeek. He and his crew knocked out two Tiger tanks as the enemy made a heavy advance, killing all his gun team. But being severely wounded in the leg, he continued on his own to fire the gun, as the enemy launched another attack. He succeeded in firing two rounds, before being killed in a hail of shell fire. His action earned him one of the first VCs for airborne forces.

Pilot David Samuel Lord was dropping supplies at Arnhem on September 19th, 1944, when his aircraft was hit and set alight by enemy fire, just minutes from the drop zone. He continued with his mission to re-supply ground forces and ignored his own safety, having ordered his crew to bale out - his Dakota crashed.

Captain Lionel Ernest Queripel commanded a company at Arnhem, when he came under heavy fire on September 19th 1944. Pinned down by fire and himself wounded in the face, he carried an injured NCO to the aid post. He then returned to his men and destroyed two enemy machine guns and captured an anti-tank gun. Later although wounded in both arms, he inspired his men to beat off attacks from the Germans.

Armed with just a PIAT light anti-tank weapon, Major Robert Cain immobilised a Tiger tank, then in the following days he knocked out three more. When his company position was attacked, Major Cain, by superb leadership and with just a two inch mortar continued his assault in a bid to demoralise the enemy.

At Arnhem bridge,2 Para found themselves under heavy fire from SS Panzer Grenadiers, and Lt John Grayburn led his men in two assaults over the bridge. Though twice wounded, he refused to be evacuated and insisted on leading the attacks. Had it not been for the action of this man, Arnhem bridge may not have been held for as long as it was. He was killed on the night September 20th 1944.

During the Rhine crossing in March 1945.Corporal Frederick Topham of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, constantly exposed himself to enemy fire in his efforts to try and evacuate the wounded.

Sergeant Ian Mckay charged an enemy machine gun post which had been pinning down his comrades, and pressed home his attack, throwing grenades into the enemy position at Mount Longdon, Falkland Islands.

The commanding officer of 2 Para Lt Colonel H Jones found his Battalion bogged down at Goose Green, Falkland Islands after hours of fighting. Assessing the need to break the stalemate and with total disregard for his own life, he charged the nearest enemy position.

 

Both Lt Colonel Jones and Sgt Mckay became the first to be awarded the Victoria Cross since World War Two.

 

10 Para jumping Arnhem	Arnhem Vets after jumping	10 Para Arnhem

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