Richard Annesley West
Encyclopedia
Richard Annesley West VC
DSO & Bar
MC
(26 September 1878 - 2 September 1918) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
, seconded to 6th Battalion, Tank Corps
during the First World War
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 21 August 1918 at Courcelles
, France
, during an attack, the infantry lost their bearings in dense fog and Lieutenant Colonel West at once collected any men he could find and led them to their objective, in face of heavy machine-gun fire. On 2 September at Vaulx-Vraucourt
, he arrived at the front line when the enemy were delivering a local counter-attack. The infantry battalion had suffered heavy officer casualties and realizing the danger if they gave way, and despite the enemy being almost upon them, Colonel West rode up and down in face of certain death, encouraging the men. He fell riddled with bullets. His magnificent bravery at a critical moment so inspired the infantry that the hostile attack was defeated. One of the infantrymen he inspired may have been Roland Shaw
.
He is buried at the Morey Abbey Military Cemetery, Mory
.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
DSO & Bar
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
MC
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....
(26 September 1878 - 2 September 1918) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
He was 39 years old, and an Acting Lieutenant-Colonel in the North Irish HorseNorth Irish Horse
The North Irish Horse is a yeomanry unit of the British Territorial Army raised in the northern counties of Ireland in the aftermath of the Second Boer War...
, seconded to 6th Battalion, Tank Corps
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 21 August 1918 at Courcelles
Courcelles
-France:Courcelles is also the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Courcelles, Charente-Maritime, in the Charente-Maritime département* Courcelles, Doubs, in the Doubs département...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, during an attack, the infantry lost their bearings in dense fog and Lieutenant Colonel West at once collected any men he could find and led them to their objective, in face of heavy machine-gun fire. On 2 September at Vaulx-Vraucourt
Vaulx-Vraucourt
Vaulx-Vraucourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Vaulx-Vraucourt lies southeast of Arras and about northeast of Bapaume, at the junction of the D20, D10E and D36 roads.-History:...
, he arrived at the front line when the enemy were delivering a local counter-attack. The infantry battalion had suffered heavy officer casualties and realizing the danger if they gave way, and despite the enemy being almost upon them, Colonel West rode up and down in face of certain death, encouraging the men. He fell riddled with bullets. His magnificent bravery at a critical moment so inspired the infantry that the hostile attack was defeated. One of the infantrymen he inspired may have been Roland Shaw
Roland Shaw
Roland Shaw was a soldier in the 2/4th Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. He fought at Vaulx-Vraucourt and may have served under Richard Annesley West.On 2 September 1918 Shaw distinguished himself in combat...
.
He is buried at the Morey Abbey Military Cemetery, Mory
Mory
Mory is the name or part of the name of three communes of France:*Mory in the Pas-de-Calais département*Mory-Montcrux in the Oise département*Mitry-Mory in the Seine-et-Marne départementMory is also the name of two locations in Poland:...
.