Herbert Westmacott
Encyclopedia
Captain Herbert Richard Westmacott MC (died 2 May 1980) was a Special Air Service
(SAS) officer who became the first person to be awarded a posthumous Military Cross
. His death in an encounter with the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA) left him as the highest ranking officer of the SAS to be killed in Northern Ireland
during Operation Banner
.
He was in command of an eight man plain clothes 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
. 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. 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 Captain Westmacott in the head and shoulder killing him instantly. The remaining SAS men at the front, returned fire but were forced to withdraw. One member of the IRA team was apprehended by the SAS at the rear of the house, preparing the unit's escape in a transit van, while the other three IRA members remained inside the house. More members of the security forces were deployed to the scene, and after a brief siege the remaining members of the IRA unit surrendered. His death left him as the highest ranking SAS officer to be killed in Northern Ireland.
After his death Westmacott was posthumously awarded the Military Cross
for gallantry in Northern Ireland during the period 1 February 1980 to 30 April 1980.
Captain Westmacott's cousin is Sir Peter Westmacott
, a British ambassador who facilitated the first meeting between Gerry Adams
and Sir Partick Mayhew
Several men including Angelo Fusco
, Paul Magee
and Joe Doherty
were later convicted of murder by the Northern Ireland authorities.
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
(SAS) officer who became the first person to be awarded a posthumous Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. His death in an encounter with the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA) left him as the highest ranking officer of the SAS to be killed in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
during Operation Banner
Operation Banner
Operation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces' operation in Northern Ireland from August 1969 to July 2007. It was initially deployed at the request of the Unionist government of Northern Ireland to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary . After the 1998 Belfast Agreement,...
.
He was in command of an eight man plain clothes SAS patrol that had been alerted by the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
that an IRA gun team had taken over a house on Antrim Road, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. 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. 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
M60 machine gun
The M60 is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links...
, hitting Captain Westmacott in the head and shoulder killing him instantly. The remaining SAS men at the front, returned fire but were forced to withdraw. One member of the IRA team was apprehended by the SAS at the rear of the house, preparing the unit's escape in a transit van, while the other three IRA members remained inside the house. More members of the security forces were deployed to the scene, and after a brief siege the remaining members of the IRA unit surrendered. His death left him as the highest ranking SAS officer to be killed in Northern Ireland.
After his death Westmacott was posthumously awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for gallantry in Northern Ireland during the period 1 February 1980 to 30 April 1980.
Captain Westmacott's cousin is Sir Peter Westmacott
Peter Westmacott
Sir Peter John Westmacott, KCMG, LVO is a senior British diplomat, currently serving as HM Ambassador to the French Republic....
, a British ambassador who facilitated the first meeting between Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
and Sir Partick Mayhew
Several men including Angelo Fusco
Angelo Fusco
Angelo Fusco is a former volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who escaped during his 1981 trial for killing a Special Air Service officer in 1980....
, Paul Magee
Paul Magee
Paul "Dingus" Magee is a former volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who escaped during his 1981 trial for killing a member of the Special Air Service in 1980...
and Joe Doherty
Joe Doherty
Joe Doherty is a former volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who escaped during his 1981 trial for killing a member of the Special Air Service in 1980...
were later convicted of murder by the Northern Ireland authorities.