John Gerald Westwood-Axtell was granted a short service commission in The Parachute Regiment on 22 January 1966 after completing training at Mons Officer Cadet School.He deployed to Aden with 1 PARA in 1967 on internal security duties as Platoon Commander of No 2 Platoon, A Company. During the tour Lt Westwood-Axtell led an assault on houses occupied by terrorists in the southern district of Al Qahira. 

Lt Westwood-Axtell died on 3 July 1968, aged 21 years, and is now buried in Aldershot Military Cemetery.