Herbert Westmacott
| Herbert Westmacott | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Herbert Richard Westmacott |
| Born |
11 January 1952 Chichester, West Sussex |
| Died |
2 May 1980 (aged 28) Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit |
Grenadier Guards Special Air Service |
| Battles/wars | Operation Banner † |
| Awards | Military Cross |
| Relations | Sir Peter Westmacott (cousin) |
Captain Herbert Richard Westmacott, MC (11 January 1952 – 2 May 1980) was a British Army officer who became the first person to be awarded a posthumous Military Cross. As an officer of the Grenadier Guards (2nd Battalion)[1] on Extra Regimental Employment to the Special Air Service (SAS), he died in an encounter with the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). He was the highest-ranking SAS officer to be killed in Northern Ireland during Operation Banner.
He was in command of an eight-man plainclothes SAS patrol that had been alerted by the Royal Ulster Constabulary that an IRA gun team had taken over a house on Antrim Road, Belfast.[2] A car carrying three SAS men went to the rear of the house, and another car carrying five SAS men went to the front of the house.[3] As the SAS arrived at the front of the house the IRA unit, nicknamed the "M60 gang", opened fire from a window with an M60 machine gun, hitting Westmacott in the head and shoulder and killing him instantly.[3] The remaining SAS men at the front returned fire but were forced to withdraw.[2][3] One member of the IRA team was apprehended by the SAS at the rear of the house while preparing the unit's escape in a transit van. The other three IRA members remained inside the house.[4] More members of the security forces were deployed to the scene, and after a brief siege the remaining members of the IRA unit surrendered.[2][5]
After his death Westmacott was posthumously awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in Northern Ireland during the period 1 February to 30 April 1980.[6] He is buried in the churchyard of St. Michael's, Up Marden, West Sussex.
His cousin is Sir Peter Westmacott, a British ambassador who facilitated the first meeting between Gerry Adams and Sir Patrick Mayhew.[7]
Several men, including Angelo Fusco, Paul Magee and Joe Doherty, were convicted in absentia of murder in June 1981 by the Northern Ireland authorities after they escaped from custody.[5][8][9]
References
- ↑ http://www.nivetsannex.com/ROH/certs/M1196.pdf
- 1 2 3 Bowyer Bell, pp.487–488
- 1 2 3 Murray, p.256
- ↑ Dillon, p.94.
- 1 2 "Irish police arrest former IRA killer". BBC News. 4 January 2000. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 48346. p. 14608. 20 October 1980.
- ↑ Daily Mirror 29 August 2006
- ↑ New York Times "Gunman of the IRA: A Five Year Wait" Check
|url=value (help). New York Times. Retrieved 22 August 2010. - ↑ John Mullin (10 March 2000). "Dublin court bails IRA man wanted for murdering SAS officer 20 years ago". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 14 November 2007.