Private Colin Bassom

Colin Bassom came from Dagenham and completed his basic training with Platoon 289 at Depot, The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces, in 1965.

He passed pre-parachute selection (P Company) and then attended No 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Abingdon, for his parachute course in June 1965.

Pte Bassom was onboard a Hastings aircraft for his qualifying jump at RAF Weston on the Green, when it crashed shortly after take-off killing all 41 occupants on board.

The other passengers included seven recruits also on the aircraft to make their qualifying jump, eight RAF Parachute Jump Instructors, and three NCOs from The Parachute Regiment attending an Assistant Parachute Jump Instructors course.

Pte Bassom died on 6 July 1965, aged 18 years old, and is now buried at Aldershot Military Cemetery.

Headstone photograph courtesy of Bob Hilton.