Anders Lassen
Recipient of the Victoria Cross / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Anders Frederik Emil Victor Schau Lassen, VC, MC & Two Bars (22 September 1920 – 9 April 1945) was a highly decorated Danish soldier, who was the only non-Commonwealth recipient of the British Victoria Cross in the Second World War. He was posthumously awarded the United Kingdom's highest gallantry award for his actions during Operation Roast on 8 April 1945 at Lake Comacchio in Italy in the final weeks of the Italian campaign.[1][2]
Anders Lassen | |
---|---|
Born | (1920-09-22)22 September 1920 Høvdingsgård, Mern, Denmark |
Died | 9 April 1945(1945-04-09) (aged 24) Lake Comacchio, Italy |
Buried | |
Service/ | British Army |
Years of service | 1940–1945 |
Rank | Major |
Service number | 234907 |
Commands held | No. 62 Commando Special Boat Service, Special Air Service |
Battles/wars | Second World War |
Awards | Victoria Cross Military Cross & Two Bars |
Relations | Frederik Raben-Levetzau (maternal grandfather) Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche-Streithorst (cousin) |
The Danish officer was ordered to lead a raid that would give the impression that a major landing was being undertaken. Lassen fulfilled his mission by destroying three enemy positions before being mortally wounded. As his men's lives would be endangered in the withdrawal, he refused to be evacuated from the area.