David Eastwood (British Army officer) facts for kids
Herbert David Eastwood (born January 27, 1919, died October 29, 2010) was a brave officer in the British Army. He received a special award called the Military Cross. This was for his courage during a big battle called Operation Market Garden in the Second World War.
Quick facts for kids
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|---|---|
| Born | 27 January 1919 Bangor, Wales |
| Died | 29 October 2010 (aged 91) France |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1940–1947 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Service number | 121135 |
| Unit | Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Parachute Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross |
Contents
Early Life and Army Start
David Eastwood was born in Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales. He went to school at Bloxham School and then to St Edmund Hall, Oxford University.
He joined the army on February 16, 1940. His first unit was the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He was sent to India to help keep things safe there.
After the Battle of France, his army group came back to England. They became part of a special unit called the 1st Airlanding Brigade. Eastwood helped plan air operations. He also took part in the Allied invasion of Sicily.
Planning for D-Day
After his experience in Italy, Eastwood was given an important job. He helped brief the planners for D-Day. He shared what they had learned from mistakes made in the Italian campaign. This helped make the D-Day landings more successful.
Operation Market Garden
On September 17, 1944, Eastwood's company landed as part of Operation Market Garden. This was a huge plan to capture bridges in the Netherlands. Eastwood and his soldiers had to secure landing zones. These were areas where other soldiers would parachute or land in gliders.
Securing Landing Zones
The next evening, Eastwood led his platoon to set up navigation lights. These lights would guide supply planes. They found German soldiers already in the area. Eastwood and his men attacked them. They managed to defeat the Germans and capture the zone.
On September 19, he went back to the landing zone. He helped the first wave of Polish gliders land. As soon as the gliders appeared, the Germans attacked again. Eastwood and his soldiers fought them off. They kept fighting until all the gliders were unloaded.
Fighting Through Enemy Lines
Eastwood and his platoon were cut off from their main group. So, he led them through enemy positions in the dark. They reached a place called Ommershof near Arnhem. They dug in and stayed there for two days.
Then, they moved to help defend the Hartenstein Hotel. For the next four days, they held a very important area. This area was near the Schoonord crossroads. It was always under heavy enemy fire.
Eastwood showed great bravery. He moved constantly between his soldiers, encouraging them. Even with many attacks and heavy losses, his men stayed strong. They held their position until they were told to retreat. On September 25, they crossed back over the River Rhine. Because of his courage, Eastwood was given the Military Cross.
After the War
After World War II ended, Eastwood joined the Malayan Civil Service in 1947. This was a government job in what is now Malaysia. He learned to speak Malay. He worked there during the Malay Emergency, a time of conflict.
Eastwood became a district commissioner in Trengganu. He helped write the Land Law for that state. Later, he moved to Malacca.
When Malaya became independent in 1957, Eastwood returned to England. In 1959, he joined the Ministry of Defence. He also worked in Jamaica. Later, he spent four years in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. He worked in intelligence for the Northern Ireland Office. In 1973, he was honored with the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
