For Valour: Lieutenant (Acting Captain) Ferdinand Maurice Felix West VC, MC Royal Air Force

9 August 2024 By Norman Brice: Volunteer in Aviation Historian

Location: 10 August 1918, over France

Who: Lieutenant (Acting Captain) Ferdinand Maurice Felix West VC, MC, Royal Air Force, 29 January 1896 – 7 July 1988

After three years of static trench warfare, on 21 March 1918 the Great War became mobile again. With the collapse of Russian forces in the east, the German Army was able to move vast numbers of troops to the Western Front, culminating in an attack on a broad line. Where, until now, advances by each side could be measured in yards, the Germans penetrated deeply, before being halted, not least by outrunning their supply lines. In turn, the Allies launched a major counter-attack on 8 August, known as the 100 Days Offensive, which culminated in the Armistice on 11 November 1918. This Allied offensive involved major air battles.

The London Gazette 8th November 1918.

‘His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to Lieut. (actg. Capt.) Ferdinand Maurice Felix West, M.C., Royal Air Force (formerly of the Special Reserve, Royal Munster Fusiliers), in recognition of his outstanding bravery in aerial combat. Captain West, while engaging hostile troops at a low altitude far over the enemy lines, was attacked by seven aircraft. Early in the engagement one of his legs was partially severed by an explosive bullet, and fell powerless into the controls, rendering the machine for the time unmanageable. Lifting his disabled leg, he regained control of the machine, and, although wounded in the other leg, he, with surpassing bravery and devotion to duty, manoeuvred his machine so skilfully that his observer was enabled to get several good bursts into the enemy machines, which drove them away. Captain West then, with rare courage, and determination, desperately wounded as he was, brought his machine over our lines and landed safely. Exhausted by his exertions, he fainted, but on regaining consciousness insisted on writing his report. (The award of the Military Cross was gazetted on 26th July, 1918.)’

This is the exact aircraft which West was piloting when winning his VC.

Following the Armistice, West continued a highly meritorious career in the RAF with postings to operational, administrative and, finally, diplomatic duties, including in Switzerland during the Second World War, where he established an escape route for interned RAF personnel. He retired in 1946 as Air Commodore West VC, CBE, MC.

Air Commodore West is buried in Holy Trinity Churchyard, Sunningdale, Berkshire.

Flight Lieutenant Barry Emms, No. 8 Squadron RAF.

Volunteers from the Engineering team, No 8 Squadron, RAF, cleaned grave and cleared cemetery. Credit: No 8 Squadron RAF.

His Victoria Cross is in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.

Credits:
Citation: London Gazette 8 November 1918.
Additional biographical details: For Valour: The Air VCs Chaz Bowyer, Grub Street Publishing.

Photos
Lieutenant West: RAF Museum (PC76/23/11)
Armstrong Whitworth FK 8: RAF Museum (PC72/115/8)
Grave marker: Author via The War Graves Photographic Project (www.twgpp.org)
Volunteers: No 8 Squadron RAF

Norman Brice: Volunteer

It all started very many years ago when, lying in my pram, I was awoken by what I later knew as Spitfires on their finals to RAF Biggin Hill, just a handful of miles away. As a schoolboy I was captivated by the annual September Battle of Britain Days at Biggin Hill with a vast range of visiting aircraft, including all three V-Bombers in gleaming anti-flash white.

Fast forward very many years past retirement I joined the RAF Museum London as a volunteer as a Vulcan and Cold War tour guide.