Paul Evelyn Baskett was born in Wiltshire, England in January 1884. He began his travels in 1902 when he went to South Africa.
In 1906, he was with the Natal Carabineers as a 2/Lt., and took part in the suppression of the Zulu Rebellion. Later, he went to Johannesburg on a gold mining trip, and was transferred to the Witwater Rand Rifles with the rank of Captain.
In 1912, Paul Baskett went to Canada, where he joined the Royal Flying Corps. He remained with them till April 1918 rising to the rank of Flight Sergeant. He was with the RAF till the end of WWI. In 1915, he married Gladys Helen Forbes. They had a daughter, Sheila born in Victoria, B. C., in 1916.
He appears to have arrived in Hong Kong around 1920. He was with A. S. Watson & Co. Ltd., till 1932 when he joined the Manufacturers Life Insurance. In the same year, he joined the HKVDC. Mr. Baskett was fully mobilised in October 1940 as Officer-in-Charge of transport and supplies.
Paul Baskett was made an M. B. E. in the New Year Honours of 1941.
After the fall of Hong Kong, he was interned at Sham Shui Po Camp. Company Sergeant Major, Paul Evelyn Baskett died of pneumonia on 9 December 1943.
Source
- New Year Honours: Hong Kong Daily Press 3 January 1941
- We Shall Suffer There, Hong Kong Defenders Imprisoned 1942-45 by Tony Banham
- Hong Kong War Diary: http://www.hongkongwardiary.com/searchgarrison/hkvdc.html
- Gravestone in Stanley Military Cemetery: https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KLC5-8XB/paul-evelyn-baskett-1884-1943
- Family Search: https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KLC5-8XB/paul-evelyn-baskett-1884-1943