The Green Howards, - VCs and GCs Won by the Regiment

Lieutenant Basil Weston, VC

On 3rd March 1945 during the attack on Meiktila, Burma, Lieutenant Weston was commanding a platoon which, together with the rest of the company, had to clear an area of the town of the enemy. In the face of fanatical opposition he led his men superbly, encouraging them from one bunker position to the next. When he came to the last, particularly well-defended bunker, he fell wounded in the entrance. Knowing that his men would not be able to capture the position without heavy casualties he pulled the pin out of one of his grenades as he lay on the ground and deliberately blew himself up together with the occupants of the bunker.

William Basil Weston was born on 3rd January, 1924 to William Arthur Weston, an outfitter, and his wife Rose of 39 Market Street, Ulverston in Lancashire. He attended St. Mary's RC Primary School in Brogden Street from 1930 to 1935 and then went to Ulverston Grammar School until his 18th birthday. He attended No. 5 ITC in Richmond, Yorkshire before being posted on 29th April 1943 to 2nd Battalion, The Green Howards in India. He was commissioned on 25th February 1944 and returned to his battalion for jungle training prior to sailing to Chittagong north of Arakan. He spent four months on active service with his battalion in the Goppe Bazaar sector of Arakan, before being posted to 1 st Battalion, The West Yorkshires in Imphal on 22nd December 1944.
Lieutenant Basil Weston won his posthumous VC at Meiktila on 3rd March 1945. It was announced in The London Gazette on 15th May 1945. He was buried in Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma, in Plot XX, Row A, Grave 7. His posthumous decoration was presented to his brother Denis Weston and aunt Esther Hathaway at Buckingham Palace by H.M. King George VI on the 18th December 1945. His nephew presently owns the Victoria Cross and campaign medals.