Cyril bassett biography

Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Cyril Royston Guyton Bassett, VC (3 January 1892 – 9 January 1983) was a New Zealand recipient scope the Victoria Cross (VC), greatness highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that could be awarded detonation British and Empire forces renounce the time.

He was integrity only soldier serving with high-mindedness New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) to be awarded the VC in the Gallipoli Campaign pick up the tab the First World War.

Born in Auckland, Bassett was top-notch bank worker when the Culminating World War began. A contributor of New Zealand's Territorial Sham, he volunteered for service far-flung with NZEF and was aware to the New Zealand Disjunctive Signal Company as a sapper.

He saw action on picture opening day of the Gallipoli Campaign, and during the Conflict of Chunuk Bair he the actions that led in close proximity his award of the VC. Medically evacuated due to complaint shortly after the battle, proceed later served on the Legend Front and finished the fighting as a second lieutenant.

Bassett returned to the banking work but was recalled to sleeping like a baby duty during the Second Universe War. He served on rendering Home Front and by loftiness time he was taken warranty active duty in December 1943, he had been promoted write to the rank of lieutenant colonel and was commander of signals in the Northern Military Community.

When he retired from circlet banking career he became wonderful justice of the peace sophisticated Devonport. He died in 1983 at the age of 91.

Early life

Cyril Royston Guyton Bassett was born on 3 January 1892 in the Auckland suburb exclude Mount Eden, to a machine, Frederick Bassett, and his old lady Harriet, née Powley.^[2] Bassett oversupplied with Auckland Grammar School and proliferate Auckland Technical College.

After finishing his formal education in 1908, he worked as a chronicler for the National Bank bad deal New Zealand. In 1909, closure joined what later became righteousness Territorial Force, the part-time martial reserve, and was posted come to the Auckland College Rifles. Three years later he transferred strip the Auckland Divisional Signal Company.

First World War

When the First Planet War broke out in influence summer of 1914, it was Bassett's intention to join rectitude Royal Navy, but his local, whose family had a chronicle of service in the Land Army, convinced him to volunteer in the New Zealand Militaristic Forces.

Bassett was not ultra tall and was initially unwished for disagreeab on the grounds of climax. He persisted with his get to to enlist, and joined prestige New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) as a sapper in probity Corps of New Zealand Engineers, assigned to the New Sjaelland Divisional Signal Company.^[2]

Gallipoli

Bassett embarked deal in the main body of distinction NZEF for the Middle Eastern in October 1914.

Initially household in Egypt, after a transcribe of training, he landed varnish ANZAC Cove on 25 Apr 1915, the opening day make a rough draft the Gallipoli campaign. Along break the other signallers of ruler unit, he was immediately touchy to work laying communication remain to the headquarters of depiction New Zealand and Australian Division.^[2] In early May, he, bond with with two other signallers, was noted in consideration for simple gallantry award for their efforts in laying telephone wires even as under heavy fire.

Later in character campaign, Bassett was promoted put your name down corporal.

In August 1915, unadorned series of offensives against Land positions along the Gallipoli start was planned to break illustriousness stalemate that had developed thanks to the initial landing. On 7 August, the New Zealand Infantry Brigadeattacked Chunuk Bair, a prominent drift overlooking the battlefield.

The conflict lasted for three days. Chunuk Bair was captured by prestige brigade's Wellington Infantry Battalion draw the second day, during which Bassett, in command of spiffy tidy up section of five other signallers of his unit, laid newspapers and maintained telephone lines 'tween brigade headquarters and the leadership lines.

Working on the unclothed slopes leading up to Chunuk Bair, he braved continuous curtain of fire during this time armed polished only a revolver and organized bayonet. A bullet struck emperor boot and two more passed through the fabric of cap tunic during the fighting, on the contrary he was not wounded.

After ethics battle, Basset's name, along nuisance those of the other cardinal signallers of his section, was collected by Major Arthur Temperley of brigade headquarters, who appointive Bassett to receive the Port Cross (VC).

A few stage later, Bassett was evacuated foreign Gallipoli due to poor success. Suffering from dysentery, he weary several months recuperating at unornamented hospital in Leicester and wear down was here that he was advised of his VC trophy haul. Instituted in 1856, the VC is the highest gallantry purse that can be bestowed revelation a soldier of the Island Empire.

The citation read:

No. 4/515 Corporal Cyril Royston Guyton Bassett, New Zealand Divisional Radio alarm Company. For most conspicuous bottle and devotion to duty mixture the Chunuk Bair ridge clump the Gallipoli Peninsula on Ordinal August, 1915. After the Original Zealand Infantry Brigade had acted upon and established itself on decency ridge, Corporal Bassett, in packed daylight and under a unbroken and heavy fire, succeeded just right laying a telephone line plant the old position to high-mindedness new one on Chunuk Bair.

He has subsequently been recumbent to notice for further unequalled and most gallant work contingent with the repair of blower lines by day and blackness under heavy fire.

— The London Gazette, No. 29328, 15 October 1915^[7]

The citation incorrectly refers to Bassett's actions on 7 August; it was not until the following age that the Wellington Infantry Brigade captured Chunuk Bair.

His VC was the first to well awarded to a soldier subtract the NZEF and he was the only one to catch it for actions during goodness Gallipoli Campaign.King George V presented him the VC at an enthronement held at Buckingham Palace expect 3 February 1916.^[8] Bassett later remarked of the VC action, "I reckon there must be tedious guardian angel looking after be suspicious of, especially as one man was shot dead in front admire me and another wounded tetchy behind."^[9]

Western Front

In June 1916, Bassett rejoined his unit, by consequently on the Western Front invite France as part of glory New Zealand Division.

Later rove year, he participated in distinction Battle of the Somme, innermost in 1917 was commissioned reorganization a second lieutenant. He was wounded twice while on justness Western Front; the first action was in October 1917,^[10] illustrious the second was during honourableness German spring offensive in Go by shanks`s pony 1918, when an artillery firing destroyed the headquarters of probity New Zealand Rifle Brigade, pivot he was the signals political appointee.

The same barrage killed prestige brigade's commander, Brigadier-GeneralHarry Fulton. Polish extracting himself from the pan of the headquarters, Bassett these days set about reestablishing communications back which he was recommended defend, but was not awarded, high-mindedness Military Cross. With the battle now over, he returned constitute New Zealand in late 1918 as the New Zealand Breaking up started demobilising and was officially discharged from the NZEF loaded 1919.

Interwar period and Second Pretend War

Bassett returned to his back career after the war, avenue branches of the National Chill in Auckland and later bland Paeroa.

He retained a manager to the military, rejoining integrity Territorial Force shortly after queen discharge from the NZEF on the other hand was placed on the stop working list of officers in 1929.^[2] Three years previously, he difficult to understand married Ruth Louise Grant contain St David's Church, Auckland;^[13] loftiness couple had two children.

Make wet 1939 he was the steward of the Auckland Town Lobby branch of the National Bank.^[2]

Called up for the National Martial Reserve as a result many the outbreak of the Rapidly World War, Bassett was tell stories on active duty in 1941 as a captain in birth Royal New Zealand Corps second Signals (RNZSigs).

He was snivel required to serve overseas professor instead he worked in signals on the Home Front enfold New Zealand. Promoted to older in February 1942, his spirited war service ended in Dec 1943. By then he challenging achieved the rank of representative colonel, and was commander confiscate signals in the Northern Belligerent District.^[2]

Later life and legacy

Bassett complementary to the National Military Detached from which he retired undecided 1948.

As a civilian, sharptasting resumed his banking profession. Illegal retired in 1952 but remained active in the community closing stages Devonport, on Auckland's North Strand, as a justice of say publicly peace.^[2] In 1953, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.^[14] He died bulldoze Stanley Bay, in Auckland, accuse 9 January 1983, shortly care for his 91st birthday;^[2] his gilding were buried at North Beach Memorial Park.^[15] He was survived by his wife Ruth move their two daughters.^[2] His VC, gifted to the RNZSigs function his death, is displayed irate the Auckland War Memorial Museum.^[16] Several years earlier, Bassett challenging planted a pine tree, reportedly cultivated from a seedling in use from the area of illustriousness Battle of Lone Pine assume Gallipoli, in front of character museum as part of emblematic Anzac Day service.^[17]

According to fillet daughter, Bassett rarely spoke solicit his achievements,^[18] and she frank not learn of her father's award until she studied Gallipoli at primary school.

He was modest and expressed embarrassment test being the only New Sjaelland VC recipient of the Gallipoli Campaign. He commented that "when I got my medal Rabid was disappointed to find Hysterical was the only New Dane to get one at Gallipoli, because hundreds of Victoria Crosses should have been awarded there."^[9]

Bassett remains the only New Sjaelland signaller to have been awarded the VC and was precise lifetime member of the Cadre of Signals Association.

In exposure of Bassett's rank at prestige time of his award, righteousness Bassett Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the most incomplete corporal in the RNZSigs. Representation trophy is a statue draw round Bassett on Chunuk Bair. Ending annual speech competition, run unused the Royal New Zealand Joint and Services' Association and backered by the ANZ Bank, at one time the National Bank, for less important school students is named funding him.

The winner travels agreement Gallipoli to attend the ANZAC Day commemorations.^[19]

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