150:
574:
40:
524:
lines. He twisted his trouser leg into a tourniquet to stem the flow of blood from his wounds. Unable to make his airfield West landed behind the Allied lines and insisted on reporting his findings despite being in excruciating agony. His left leg had five wounds, one of which had shattered his femur and cut the femoral artery, and had to be amputated.
558:
During World War II he commanded No. 50 Wing in France in late 1939. He was subsequently Air Attaché at the
British Embassy in Rome in early 1940 and thereafter was part of the British Legation in Berne, where he assisted Allied airmen who had escaped into Switzerland. At one stage the German Gestapo
523:
Continuing to identify his location, he remained under attack and manoeuvred his machine so skilfully that his observer was able to get several good bursts into the enemy machines, which drove them away. Only when he was sure of the enemy's position did he attempt to break off and head for his own
594:
in
January 1946, working in overseas sales. He became managing director in 1947 until 1958 when he retired as chairman. Subsequent directorships included Hurst Park Syndicate, Continental Shipyard Agencies, Technical Equipment Supplies Ltd, Tokalon Ltd and Terravia Trading Services.
466:. He was then posted to No 8 Squadron in January 1918, flying Army co-operation duties with the infantry and tanks. Crewing up with Lt. William Haslam in March, West flew a series of hazardous sorties over the front, culminating with both men being awarded the
520:(serial number C8602), spotted an enemy concentration through a hole in the mist. Avoiding severe ground fire, almost immediately they came under attack from seven German fighter aircraft and West was hit in the leg, and his radio transmitter was smashed.
602:(Pen & Sword Books, 2006). He also appeared as a contributor in the 1987 documentary 'The Cavalry of the Clouds', produced by British regional commercial television station 'HTV West'. West's Victoria Cross is displayed at the
515:
On 12 August 1918, the
British Army was intending to start a major offensive, but it needed information about the enemy positions. Setting off at dawn, West and his observer, Lt. William Haslam, flying an
813:
462:, becoming a fully qualified observer in July 1917, having accumulated over 100 flying hours. After six months and 225 flying hours he was posted back to Britain to undergo pilot training at
863:
833:
823:
858:
853:
828:
808:
567:
365:
320:
868:
878:
843:
818:
408:. His mother Clemence was French, née de la Garde de Saignes, and moved with him to Milan, Italy. He began study of International Law at the
484:
scouts. West personally claimed one shot down, and skillfully evaded the rest to return to base. The next day West was bounced by a group of
419:. The young Freddie West went on at least one local climbing expedition with the future pope, and later in life attended a Vatican audience.
873:
704:
883:
848:
123:
769:
893:
591:
838:
28:
332:
61:
104:
888:
57:
76:
778:
527:
Shortly afterwards he was invalided back to
Britain, where on 9 November 1918 he learned that he had been awarded the
444:
342:
83:
50:
803:
560:
517:
436:
263:
90:
531:. After recovering from his amputation, West was fitted with an innovatively designed Swiss artificial leg.
440:
385:
328:
267:
149:
497:
474:
337:
598:
West was interviewed on 27 May 1979 by the art historian Anna
Malinovska. The interview is reproduced in
72:
798:
793:
559:
put a price on his head because of his underground activities. He attempted to assist in the case of
488:
scouts, and West dropped to 200 feet altitude and flew through a network of kite balloons to escape.
281:
676:
603:
409:
573:
681:
544:
501:
459:
451:
291:
271:
192:
577:
Grave of Air
Commodore Freddie West VC situated in graveyard of Holy Trinity Church, Sunningdale
774:
746:
700:
384:, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and
404:, on 19 January 1896, "Freddy" West was the son of an army officer killed in 1902 during the
552:
306:
17:
505:
428:
415:
His mother and nun aunt were friendly with
Monsignor Achille Ratti, who later became Pope
405:
377:
302:
234:
97:
473:
On 21 April 1918 West, flying with observer Grice, witnessed the last combat and fall of
528:
467:
381:
372:
358:
324:
316:
787:
587:
350:
253:
540:
432:
229:
764:
551:
to
Finland and the Baltic States. He was influential in the 1938 purchase of the
548:
509:
485:
481:
208:
39:
455:
397:
286:
172:
750:
196:
539:
West was awarded a permanent commission in the RAF during 1919. Posted to
738:
463:
590:. With the end of the war in Europe, he retired from the RAF and joined
412:
in 1913, then during the 1914 vacation took up a post in a Zurich bank.
416:
765:
Air of
Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Cdre F M F West
401:
176:
512:
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
439:
as a private, before being commissioned in May 1915 and joining the
572:
664:
Lost Wings of WW1: Downed Airmen on the
Western Front 1914–1918
743:
Winged Diplomat: The Life Story of Air Commodore "Freddy" West
624:
Winged Diplomat: The Life Story of Air Commodore "Freddy" West
450:
After a flight in early 1917, West decided to transfer to the
33:
543:, he gradually returned to flying duties. He commanded
480:
On 18 June 1918, West's aircraft was attacked by four
814:
British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
312:
298:
277:
259:
249:
241:
223:
215:
202:
182:
159:
140:
64:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
380:officer, aviator, and an English recipient of the
864:Royal Air Force recipients of the Victoria Cross
834:Military personnel from the City of Westminster
824:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
685:(Supplement). 5 November 1918. p. 13199.
376:(19 January 1896 – 8 July 1988) was a senior
8:
699:Weidenfeld & Nicolson 2007, Chapter 10,
568:Commander of the Order of the British Empire
343:Commander of the Order of the Crown of Italy
321:Commander of the Order of the British Empire
697:Aces Falling: War Above the Trenches, 1918,
458:, and sent back in France in April 1917 to
443:. He arrived in France for service on the
148:
137:
859:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
566:At the end of the war he was appointed a
124:Learn how and when to remove this message
27:For other people with the same name, see
854:Royal Air Force personnel of World War I
829:Commanders of the Order of Orange-Nassau
555:light bomber by the Finnish Air Force.
615:
338:Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau
809:British Army personnel of World War I
7:
666:. Pen & Sword, 2014. Chapter 25.
62:adding citations to reliable sources
477:, Germany's leading fighter pilot.
25:
869:Royal Army Medical Corps soldiers
879:Royal Munster Fusiliers officers
844:Recipients of the Military Cross
592:J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors
586:West later achieved the rank of
547:in 1936, and was then appointed
431:broke out he in 1914 joined the
38:
819:Knights of the Legion of Honour
745:. London: Chatto & Windus.
626:London Chatto & Windus 1962
49:needs additional citations for
29:Frederick West (disambiguation)
333:Knight of the Legion of Honour
1:
454:, training as an observer at
779:Lives of the First World War
775:Ferdinand Maurice Felix West
354:Ferdinand Maurice Felix West
18:Ferdinand Maurice Felix West
874:Royal Flying Corps officers
496:He was 22 years old, and a
910:
884:University of Genoa alumni
644:Reid, pp3-4, 12-13, 128-30
26:
561:Princess Mafalda of Savoy
207:Holy Trinity Churchyard,
147:
849:Royal Air Force officers
563:, but could do little.
518:Armstrong Whitworth FK 8
437:Royal Army Medical Corps
264:Royal Army Medical Corps
582:Post-war and later life
441:Royal Munster Fusiliers
329:Mentioned in Despatches
268:Royal Munster Fusiliers
839:People from Paddington
578:
475:Manfred von Richthofen
576:
242:Years of service
894:British air attachés
889:Burials in Berkshire
570:(CBE) for his work.
58:improve this article
604:Imperial War Museum
435:, initially in the
410:University of Genoa
682:The London Gazette
662:Bowman, Martin W.
579:
545:No. 4 Squadron RAF
452:Royal Flying Corps
447:in November 1915.
292:No. 4 Squadron RAF
272:Royal Flying Corps
348:
347:
134:
133:
126:
108:
16:(Redirected from
901:
804:British amputees
770:West F.M.F. West
754:
725:
722:
716:
713:
707:
705:978-0-29785570-5
693:
687:
686:
673:
667:
660:
654:
651:
645:
642:
636:
633:
627:
620:
600:Voices in Flight
553:Bristol Blenheim
375:
370:
363:
307:Second World War
225:
189:
169:
167:
152:
138:
129:
122:
118:
115:
109:
107:
66:
42:
34:
21:
909:
908:
904:
903:
902:
900:
899:
898:
784:
783:
761:
737:
734:
732:Further reading
729:
728:
724:Reid, pp199-200
723:
719:
714:
710:
694:
690:
675:
674:
670:
661:
657:
652:
648:
643:
639:
634:
630:
621:
617:
612:
584:
537:
535:Royal Air Force
510:First World War
506:Royal Air Force
494:
470:on 1 May 1918.
429:First World War
425:
423:First World War
406:Second Boer War
394:
378:Royal Air Force
368:
361:
357:
341:
336:
331:
327:
323:
319:
305:
303:First World War
290:
285:
282:No. 50 Wing RAF
270:
266:
235:Royal Air Force
233:
211:
191:
187:
171:
170:19 January 1896
165:
163:
155:
143:
130:
119:
113:
110:
67:
65:
55:
43:
32:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
907:
905:
897:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
856:
851:
846:
841:
836:
831:
826:
821:
816:
811:
806:
801:
796:
786:
785:
782:
781:
772:
767:
760:
759:External links
757:
756:
755:
733:
730:
727:
726:
717:
715:Reid, pp133-41
708:
688:
668:
655:
646:
637:
628:
614:
613:
611:
608:
583:
580:
536:
533:
529:Victoria Cross
502:No. 8 Squadron
493:
492:Victoria Cross
490:
468:Military Cross
424:
421:
393:
390:
382:Victoria Cross
346:
345:
325:Military Cross
317:Victoria Cross
314:
310:
309:
300:
296:
295:
279:
275:
274:
261:
257:
256:
251:
247:
246:
243:
239:
238:
227:
221:
220:
219:United Kingdom
217:
213:
212:
206:
204:
200:
199:
190:(aged 92)
184:
180:
179:
161:
157:
156:
153:
145:
144:
141:
132:
131:
73:"Freddie West"
46:
44:
37:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
906:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
810:
807:
805:
802:
800:
797:
795:
792:
791:
789:
780:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
762:
758:
752:
748:
744:
740:
736:
735:
731:
721:
718:
712:
709:
706:
702:
698:
695:Hart, Peter;
692:
689:
684:
683:
678:
672:
669:
665:
659:
656:
653:Reid, pp82-85
650:
647:
641:
638:
632:
629:
625:
619:
616:
609:
607:
605:
601:
596:
593:
589:
588:air commodore
581:
575:
571:
569:
564:
562:
556:
554:
550:
546:
542:
534:
532:
530:
525:
521:
519:
513:
511:
507:
503:
499:
491:
489:
487:
483:
478:
476:
471:
469:
465:
461:
460:No 3 Squadron
457:
453:
448:
446:
445:Western Front
442:
438:
434:
430:
422:
420:
418:
413:
411:
407:
403:
399:
391:
389:
387:
383:
379:
374:
367:
360:
355:
352:
351:Air Commodore
344:
340:(Netherlands)
339:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
315:
311:
308:
304:
301:
297:
293:
288:
283:
280:
276:
273:
269:
265:
262:
258:
255:
254:Air Commodore
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
231:
228:
222:
218:
214:
210:
205:
201:
198:
194:
185:
181:
178:
174:
162:
158:
151:
146:
139:
136:
128:
125:
117:
114:November 2015
106:
103:
99:
96:
92:
89:
85:
82:
78:
75: –
74:
70:
69:Find sources:
63:
59:
53:
52:
47:This article
45:
41:
36:
35:
30:
19:
742:
720:
711:
696:
691:
680:
671:
663:
658:
649:
640:
635:Reid pp21-33
631:
623:
618:
599:
597:
585:
565:
557:
541:RAF Uxbridge
538:
526:
522:
514:
495:
479:
472:
449:
433:British Army
426:
414:
395:
386:Commonwealth
353:
349:
299:Battles/wars
230:British Army
188:(1988-07-08)
154:West in 1918
142:Freddie West
135:
120:
111:
101:
94:
87:
80:
68:
56:Please help
51:verification
48:
799:1988 deaths
794:1896 births
677:"No. 30999"
549:Air Attache
508:during the
486:Fokker DVII
482:Pfalz D.III
294:(1933–1936)
289:(1938–1940)
284:(1939–1940)
237:(1918–1946)
232:(1914–1918)
209:Sunningdale
186:8 July 1988
788:Categories
622:Reid, Pat
610:References
456:Brooklands
398:Paddington
392:Early life
287:RAF Odiham
216:Allegiance
173:Paddington
166:1896-01-19
84:newspapers
751:492663389
739:Reid, Pat
427:When the
245:1914–1946
197:Berkshire
741:(1962).
464:Grantham
396:Born in
388:forces.
335:(France)
278:Commands
224:Service/
498:captain
417:Pius XI
193:Windsor
98:scholar
749:
703:
402:London
313:Awards
226:branch
203:Buried
177:London
100:
93:
86:
79:
71:
371:
369:,
364:
362:,
105:JSTOR
91:books
747:OCLC
701:ISBN
260:Unit
250:Rank
183:Died
160:Born
77:news
777:on
500:in
366:CBE
60:by
790::
679:.
606:.
504:,
400:,
373:MC
359:VC
356:,
195:,
175:,
753:.
168:)
164:(
127:)
121:(
116:)
112:(
102:·
95:·
88:·
81:·
54:.
31:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
