Herbert Westmacott

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.

For the New Zealand farmer, soldier and memoirist, see Herbert Horatio Spencer Westmacott.

Herbert Westmacott
Birth nameHerbert Richard Westmacott
Born(1952-01-11)11 January 1952
Chichester, West Sussex, England
Died2 May 1980(1980-05-02) (aged 28)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Buried
St Michael's Church, Up Marden, West Sussex, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
RankCaptain
Service number491354
UnitGrenadier Guards
Special Air Service
Battles/warsOperation Banner †
AwardsMilitary Cross
RelationsSir Peter Westmacott (cousin)

He was in command of an eight-man plainclothes SAS patrol that had been alerted by the Royal Ulster Constabulary that IRA gunmen 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
  1. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Bowyer Bell, pp.487–488
  3. Murray, p.256
  4. Dillon, p.94.
  5. "Irish police arrest former IRA killer". BBC News. 4 January 2000. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
  6. "No. 48346". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 October 1980. p. 14608.
  7. Daily Mirror 29 August 2006
  8. New York Times "Gunman of the IRA: A Five Year Wait". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 August 2010. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
  9. John Mullin (10 March 2000). "Dublin court bails IRA man wanted for murdering SAS officer 20 years ago". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 November 2007.
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