Ian Willoughby Bazalgette, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Ian Willoughby Bazalgette

Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Date of Birth: 19-Oct-1918

Place of Birth: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Date of Death: 04-Aug-1944

Profession: military personnel

Nationality: United Kingdom

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Ian Willoughby Bazalgette, (19 October 1918 – 4 August 1944) was a Canadian-British pilot in the Royal Air Force who was a member of RAF Bomber Command in World War II.
On 4 August 1944, piloting an Avro Lancaster in a pathfinder role, Bazalgette and crew flew to Trossy St.
Maximin in France to mark a V-1 flying bomb storage cave.
Bazalgette's Lancaster was severely damaged by flak prior to arrival at the target and quickly set on fire.
Despite the condition of his aircraft, Bazalgette continued to the target and accurately dropped his markers.
After completing their task Bazalgette ordered his crew to bail out, however, two members of the crew were wounded and unable to jump.
Rather than saving himself and leaving the two men to die, Bazalgette attempted to land the burning plane to save his two crew members.
Bazalgette landed the plane, but it exploded almost immediately upon alighting, killing all three airmen.
For his actions, on 14 August 1945 he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.