John Edward Bassant was born on 28th November 1921 in Gravesend, Kent. His father was Henry Alfred Bassant, a Beater Assistant, and his mother was May Elizabeth (née Ealden). The first school that he attended was Dover Road School in Gravesend.
In 1932 John Bassant joined The County School for Boys – now known as Gravesend Grammar School. The Head Master at that time was the Reverend Samuel Lister. The County School for Boys was located in Darnley Road, Gravesend close to the Railway Station 9now the Victoria Centre for Education). In 1938 the School moved to brand new premises in Church Walk, Milton, Gravesend opposite to Milton Church.
The School’s Admission Register lists John’s home address as 11 Lansdown Place, Perry Street, Gravesend. Whilst at the School, John was in Downs House, he played for the 1st XV Rugby team and was awarded Full Colours.
In 1938 John left the School and went to work at the Commercial Bank of Australia. He enlisted in the Royal Artillery, 2nd Field Regiment as a Lieutenant, Service Number 324444. He went to India with his regiment in May 1942 and was then sent to Burma in June 1944, where he saw service on the Chindiven River, Irrawady and Bridgehead.
John Bassant died at the age of 23 in Rangoon of cerebral malaria on the 14th June 1945. A month before he died, he was awarded the Military Cross for devotion to duty. He is buried at Rangoon War Cemetery, Myanmar. On the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Website he is listed as Captain.

There are links below to Newspaper Clippings and Photographs from the Gravesend Grammar School Archives.

Also links to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and a few other websites that might be of interest:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2259704/bassant,-john-edward/
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37274/supplement/4677/data.pdf
https://www.roll-of-honour.org.uk/Cemeteries/Rangoon_War_Cemetery/B/html/ba.htm

John Edward Bassant MC

Rangoon War Cemetery, Myanmar