David Schayek

Captain David Moshi Sassoon Schayek, MC was an officer of the British Army who served during the Second World War.
He was born on 29 December 1919, in Baghdad,The Scribe, Issue 73, p. 33, thescribe.info. Retrieved 7 July 2015. the son of Moshi Sassoon and Farha Schayek (née Baher), who arrived in Britain in 1921. Educated at Harrow and St. Catherine's College, Schayek enlisted in 1940, in the King's Royal Rifle Corps. He obtained a commission in October 1942, in the Royal Ulster Rifles.The London Gazette (35767), p. 4749. 3 November 1942, thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
Schayek was sent to Tunisia in March 1943 to reinforce the 6th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and served with it through the North African and Sicily campaigns. In November, Schayek was twice wounded in the battle for San Salvo. His actions resulted in the awarding of the Military Cross, the citation for which read:In the early stages of the attack on S.SALVO, B Coy was the leading Coy of the Battalion attack on the first objective which was strongly defended by a number of well sited and concealed machine gun posts.Lieut. Schayek led his platoon with distinction onto the first objective which he was the first to reach. Single handed he attacked one of the enemy machine gun posts and with his tommy gun killed the crew. Although wounded himself twice, he continued to command and lead his platoon until the objective had been finally cleared.This officer has previously shown himself as a courageous and inspiring leader, both in the North African and the Sicilian Campaigns.Honours and Awards - From Termoli to the Moro, irishbrigade.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
He returned to the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1944, serving with them in the Netherlands.Captain David Schayek MC., irishbrigade.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2015. Naturalized as a British citizen in July 1945.The London Gazette (37222), p. 4136. 14 August 1945, thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2015. Schayek returned to law after the war, practising as a solicitor into the 1990s. He was active with the charity 'War on Want'. In 1949, Schayek married Leah Lillian Horesh, with whom he had two daughters.
He died on 1 October 1999, in Kensington.
==Notes==
==External links==
*Captain David Schayek - March/April 1943, irishbrigade.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
Category:1919 births
Category:1999 deaths
Category:Iraqi military personnel
Category:British military personnel
Category:British people of Jewish descent
Category:British people of Iraqi descent
Category:British Army
Category:Buried in England
Category:Captains