Tasker Watkins

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Sir Tasker Watkins VC GBE PC (born November 18, 1918), is a Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He is a former High Court judge, and was President of the Welsh Rugby Union from 1993 to 2004.

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Tasker Watkins was born in the small town of Nelson, Glamorgan, and educated at Pontypridd Grammar School.

He was 25 years old, and a lieutenant in the 1/5th battalion, The Welch Regiment, British Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 16 August 1944 at Barfour, Normandy, France, Lieutenant Watkins' company came under murderous machine-gun fire while advancing through corn fields set with booby traps. The only officer left, Lieutenant Watkins led a bayonet charge with his 30 remaining men against 50 enemy infantry, practically wiping them out. Finally, at dusk, separated from the rest of the battalion, he ordered his men to scatter and after he had personally charged and silenced an enemy machine-gun post, he brought them back to safety. His superb leadership not only saved his men, but decisively influenced the course of the battle.

He is a living recipient of the VC. He later achieved the rank of major, and on leaving the army, became a barrister at the Middle Temple. He became a High Court judge in 1971, the same year in which he was knighted. He became a Privy Counsellor in 1980.

His Victoria Cross is on display in the Welch Regiment Museum located in Cardiff Castle.