Hi List: I attended the last winter sports games at a local school in Cape Town this morning. After the matches we gathered in the sports pavilion. There is a photograph there of Captain A F Beauchamp Proctor, R.F.C. & lists his military awards. I'm in doubt whether the school has any further information on him as his photograph is alongside that of J H Hofmeyr on whom there is more information I will be very grateful if someone could possibly put on list the relevant extracts from the various London Gazettes.(I don't have broadband) The awards are: V.C., D.S.O., M.C & bar, D.F.C. I can then print out the information & pass it on to the archive section of his old alma mater. (Spectomur Agendo) Many thanks Keith Kendal

On Sat, 25 Aug 2007 17:16:37 +0200, "Kendal" <kendal@telkomsa.net> wrote: >I attended the last winter sports games at a local school in Cape Town this morning. After the matches we gathered in the sports pavilion. There is a photograph there of Captain A F Beauchamp Proctor, R.F.C. & lists his military awards. >I'm in doubt whether the school has any further information on him as his photograph is alongside that of J H Hofmeyr on whom there is more information >I will be very grateful if someone could possibly put on list the relevant extracts from the various London Gazettes.(I don't have broadband) >The awards are: V.C., D.S.O., M.C & bar, D.F.C. >I can then print out the information & pass it on to the archive section of his old alma mater. (Spectomur Agendo) Here are transcripts of the citations for this extraordinary young officer. Commissioned on 24 May 1917 at the age of 22, Andrew Frederick Weatherby Beauchamp-Proctor was awarded five gallantry medals within the space of just over 5 months (22 Jun 1918 to 30 Nov 1918). MC: -------------------------------------- LG 22 Jun 1918 <http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveViewFrameSetup.asp?IssueNumber=30761&pageNumber=11&SearchFor=&PageDuplicate=n&selMedalType=&selHonourType=> T./2nd Lt. Andrew Weatherby Beauchamp- Proctor, Gen. List, and R.F.C. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. While on offensive patrol he observed an enemy two-seater plane attempting to cross our lines. He engaged it and opened fire, with the result that it fell over on its side and crashed to earth. On a later occa- sion, when on patrol, he observed three enemy scouts attacking one of our bombing machines. He attacked one of these, and after firing 100 rounds in it, it fell over on its back and was seen to descend in that position from 5,000 feet. He then attacked another group of hostile scouts, one of which he shot down completely out of control, and another crumpled up and crashed to earth. In addition to these, he has destroyed another hostile machine, and shot down three completely out of control. He has at all times displayed the utmost dash and initiative, and is a patrol leader of great merit and resource. --------------------------------------- DFC: --------------------------------------- LG 3 Aug 1918 <http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveViewFrameSetup.asp?IssueNumber=30827&pageNumber=2&SearchFor=&PageDuplicate=n&selMedalType=&selHonourType=> Lt. (T./Capt.) Andrew Weatherby Beauchamp- Proctor, M.C.* A brilliant and fearless leader of our offensive patrols. His formation has destroyed thirteen enemy machines and brought down thirteen more out of control in a period of a few months. On a recent morning his patrol of five aeroplanes attacked an enemy formation of thirty machines and was successful in destroying two of them. In the evening he again attacked an enemy formation with great dash, destroying one machine and forcing two others to collide, resulting in their destruction. NOTE.—The asterisk denotes that the announcement of the reward has been published in the London Gazette, No. 30775, dated 2nd July, 1918, without the statement of service. --------------------------------------- Bar to MC: --------------------------------------- LG 16 Sep 1918 <http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveViewFrameSetup.asp?IssueNumber=30901&pageNumber=29&SearchFor=&PageDuplicate=n&selMedalType=&selHonourType=> T./2nd Lt. (T./Capt.) Andrew Weatherby Beauchamp-Proctor, M.C., Gen. List., attd. R.A.F. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while leading offensive patrols. He has lately destroyed three enemy machines, driven down one other completely out of control, and carried out valuable work in attacking enemy troops and transport on the ground from low altitudes. He has done splendid service. (M.C. gazetted 22nd June, 1918.) --------------------------------------- DSO --------------------------------------- LG 2 Nov 1918 <http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveViewFrameSetup.asp?IssueNumber=30989&pageNumber=3&SearchFor=&PageDuplicate=n&selMedalType=&selHonourType=> AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER. Lieut. (T./Capt.) Andrew Weatherby Beauchamp-Proctor, M.C., D.F.C. A fighting pilot of great skill, and a splendid leader. He rendered brilliant service on the 22nd August, when his Flight was detailed to neutralise hostile balloons. Having shot down one balloon in flames, he attacked the occupants of five others in succession with machine-gun fire, compelling the occupants in each case to take to parachutes. He then drove down another balloon to within fifty feet of the ground, when it burst into flames. In all he has accounted for thirty-three enemy machines and seven balloons. (M.C. gazetted 22nd June, 1918; Bar to M.C., 16th September, 1918; D.F.C. gazetted 2nd July, 1918.) --------------------------------------- VC: --------------------------------------- LG 30 Nov 1918 <http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveViewFrameSetup.asp?IssueNumber=31042&pageNumber=2&SearchFor=&PageDuplicate=n&selMedalType=&selHonourType=> Lieut. (A./Capt.) Andrew Weathorby Beauchamp- Proctor, D.S.O., M.C., D.F.C., No. 84 Sqn., R.A. Force. Between August 8th, 1918, and October 8th, 1918, this officer proved himself victor in twenty-six decisive combats, destroying twelve enemy kite balloons, ten enemy aircraft, and driving down four other enemy aircraft completely out of control. Between October 1st, 1918, and October 5th, 1918, he destroyed two enemy scouts, burnt three enemy kite balloons, and drove down one enemy scout completely out of control. On October 1st, 1918, in a general engagement with about twenty-eight machines, he crashed one Fokker biplane near Fontaine and a second near Ramicourt; on October 2nd he burnt a hostile balloon near Selvigny; on October 3rd he drove down, completely out of control, an enemy scout near Mont d'Origny, and burnt a hostile balloon; on October 5th, the third hostile balloon near Bohain. On October 8th, 1918, while flying home at a low altitude, after destroying an enemy two-seater near Maretz, he was painfully wounded in the arm by machine-gun fire, but, continuing, he landed safely at his-aerodrome, and after making his report was admitted to hospital. In all he has proved himself conqueror over fifty-four foes, destroying twenty-two enemy machines, sixteen enemy kite balloons, and driving down sixteen enemy aircraft completely out of control. Captain Beauchamp-Proctor's work in attacking enemy troops on the ground and in reconnaissance during the withdrawal following on the Battle of St. Quentin from March 21st, 1918, and during the victorious advance of our Armies commencing on August 8th, has been almost unsurpassed in its brilliancy, and as such has made an impression on those serving in his squadron and those around him that will not be easily forgotten. Capt. Beauchamp-Proctor was awarded Military Cross on 22nd June, 1918; D.F. Cross on 2nd July, 1918; Bar to M.C. on 16th September, 1918; and Distinguished Service Order on 2nd November, 1918. ------------------------------------------- You should check the page images yourself, at the links shown, to ensure that there are no errors in the transcription. Although he survived the war, and lived for another 2 1/2 years, he is commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission - see http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=127327 The following interesting extract is taken from "Courage Remembered: The story behind the construction and maintenance of the Commonwealth's Military Cemeteries and Memorials of the Wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945" by Major Edwin Gibson MBE and G. Kingsley Ward: ------------------------------------------- Captain A. F. .W. Beauchamp-Proctor VC DSO MC and Bar, DFC RAF Died: 21.6.1921 Buried: Mafeking Cemetery, South Africa Captain Beauchamp-Proctor was credited with shooting down 54 enemy aircraft before the Armistice of 1918, and subsequently left the RAF to return to his native South Africa. Later, however, he rejoined the RAF and, following aerobatics in his aircraft near Upavon, on Salisbury Plain, crashed and was killed on 21st June 1921, within the war period which ended on 31st August of that year. He was buried in the Church Cemetery at Upavon on 24th June 1921, as the church records clearly show. According to some authorities, however – but not the Church in Upavon nor any ecclesiastical authority in England – his body was exhumed and reburied in Mafeking, contrary to the policy of nonrepatriation. Some years later, a non World War service-pattern headstone was erected by the service authorities over his 'empty' grave in Upavon and it still stands. The South Africans had held an impressive funeral at Mafeking for their 'air hero' and are convinced that he is buried there. It seems odd that Church records which so meticulously state the date of death and burial, and grave location, should not state that the body was exhumed shortly afterwards – surely an important event, and obviously very much more unusual than burial. The service authorities probably erected the headstone in the belief that, as Captain Beauchamp-Proctor had died in 'peace-time', it was their responsibility to do so, having overlooked the fact that all service burials were the responsibility of the Commission until 31st August 1921, no matter what the manner of death. The Commission recognises Captain Beauchamp-Proctor's burial place as Mafeking, but others may wish to draw their own conclusions. ----------------------------------------------- Forrest -- Forrest Anderson, Edinburgh, Scotland. E-mail: forrest@military-researcher.com Website: www.military-researcher.com Forrestdale Research - Military Genealogical Researcher