Life Story
Robert Henry Cain VC TD was a British Army ofcer who was awarded
the Victoria Cross for his actions during the Battle of Arnhem in
September 1944. He was the only recipient of the Victoria Cross from
the battle to survive, and his unit was the only one to win two VCs
during the battle.
Born in Shanghai to Manx parents, Robert’s family—Robert James
Cain and Emily Elizabeth (née Lewin)—returned to the Isle of Man while
he was still a child. He was raised and educated there, attending King
William’s College in Castletown. He later joined the Shell Oil Company,
which took him to work in Thailand and Malaya.
Military Career
With the outbreak of the Second World War, he received an
emergency commission into the British Army in 1940, joining the
Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. In 1942, he was seconded to
the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, a unit of the
elite 1st Airlanding Brigade, which was part of the 1st Airborne
Division. He was temporarily promoted to major in 1943.
Cain’s rst combat experience with airborne forces came during the
Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943. He participated in Operation
Ladbroke, a glider assault aimed at securing key objectives on
the island. After this campaign, he was given command of B
Company of the 2nd Battalion. His most famous period of service,
however, was during Operation Market Garden in September 1944.
The Battle of Arnhem
Major Cain’s extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Arnhem
took place over a brutal six-day period from September 19th to
25th, 1944. As the commander of B Company, 2nd Battalion,