Remembering a Veteran: Flight Lieutenant Andrew Frederick Weatherby Beauchamp-Proctor VC, DSO, MC, DFC (1894–1921)

Sculpture Capping Beauchamp-Proctor's Grave,  
Mafeking, S.A.

By James Patton

Born on 4 Sept 1894 at Mossel Bay, Cape Colony, South Africa, he was a son of Capt. John James Proctor and Frances Weatherby Proctor. His father later established an ancestral connection to the Beauchamps, an ancient distinguished family of Norman origin, which had counted in their midst dukes, earls, viscounts and barons. He then changed his surname to Beauchamp-Proctor, thus  making his children Weatherby Beauchamp-Proctors.

John was a teacher and headmaster who had served as an officer in the militia in both  the Basuto Gun War (1880–01) and the South African War (1899–1902). Son Andrew was educated locally until  his father secured a position at College House, a part of the South African College Schools (SACS), the oldest and most prestigious public school in the country. Andrew matriculated at College House in 1906, then pursued an engineering degree at the University of Cape Town. 

Beauchamp-Proctor

On 1 Oct 1914 he left his studies to enlist as a signaller in the “Duke’s” (from 1867 to 2019 the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles, now The Chief Langalibalele Rifles). He served in Louis Botha’s South West Africa Campaign (1914–15). Having learned Morse Code, Andrew was first assigned to The South African Field Telegraph and Postal Corps, then in August 1915 returned to the  university, where he completed another year.  

He then volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps. On 12 Mar 1917 he qualified as a 3rd Class Air Mechanic, and a month later he joined the Officer Cadet Battalion at Farnborough. After commissioning he trained at Castle Bromwich, Netheravon and Upavon, where he gained his wings after only five hours of solo flight, in spite of destroying the landing gear on a plane. Since he was only 62 inches tall, his aircraft had to be modified by raising the seat and extending the rudder bar. 

An S.E.5a of 84 Squadron 

On  29 July 1917, he was assigned to No. 84 Squadron, an observation unit which was reforming as fighters, flying the S.E.5a. They became operational in France on  21 Sept 1917. No. 84 would record 323 aerial victories and have 25 aces on the roster, the leading one of whom was Andrew. He was never a great pilot, with many hard landings on his record, but his gunnery skill was uncanny. 

He didn’t score his first victory until January 1918, but in February he had four more, becoming an ace and receiving the Military Cross (MC), as was customary. There were four victories in March, only one in April, but 11 in May, including five in one day, which netted him a second MC and promotions to captain and flight leader. In June, he scored seven more,  then took a month’s UK leave during which he made recruiting appearances.

On  3 Aug 1918, he was one of first recipients of the new Distinguished Flying Cross for being "a brilliant and fearless leader of our offensive patrols." During that month, he notched another 15 victories. In September he added four more, and in the first eight days of October, he got seven more (including three Fokker DVIIs). On 8 Oct 1918, he was hit by ground fire while on a strafing run at Maretz, near St. Quentin. He managed to land at Assevilliers and was evacuated to the Northumberland War Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. On 2 Nov 1918 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and on 30 Nov the King bestowed upon him the Victoria Cross (VC). Today Andrew’s VC is one of the 250+ medals in the collection of the billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft. 

Beauchamp-Proctor (rt) at a 1919 Event in the U.S.

The VC Citation reads:

Between August 8th, 1918, and October 8th, 1918, this officer proved himself victor in twenty six decisive combats, destroying twelve enemy kite balloons, ten enemy aircraft, and driving down four other enemy aircraft completely out of control. Between October 1st, 1918, and October 5th, 1918, he destroyed two enemy scouts, burnt three enemy kite balloons, and drove down one enemy scout completely out of control. On October 1st, 1918, in a general engagement with about twenty-eight machines, he crashed one Fokker biplane near Fontaine and a second near Ramicourt; on October 2nd he burnt a hostile balloon near Selvigny; on October 3rd he drove down, completely out of control, an enemy scout near Mont d’Origny, and burnt a hostile balloon; on October 5th the third hostile balloon near Bohain. On October 8th, 1918, while flying home at a low altitude, after destroying an enemy two-seater near Maretz, he was painfully wounded in the arm by machine-gun fire, but, continuing, he landed safely at his aerodrome, and after making his report was admitted to hospital. In all he has proved himself conqueror over fifty-four foes, destroying twenty-two enemy machines, sixteen enemy kite balloons, and driving down sixteen enemy aircraft completely out of control. Captain Beauchamp-Proctor’s work in attacking enemy troops on the ground and in reconnaissance during the withdrawal following on the Battle of St. Quentin from March 21st, 1918, and during the victorious advance of our Armies commencing on August 8th, has been almost unsurpassed in its brilliancy, and as such has made an impression on those serving in his squadron and those around him that will not be easily forgotten.

Following his release from hospital in March 1919, Andrew joined a War Heroes tour in America raising money for Liberty Loans. Upon his return to the UK, he reported to the Seaplane Station, Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire. After qualifying in a seaplane, he spent time as an instructor at the RAF Cadet College, Cranwell, and the Central Flying School, Upavon. At the formal investiture ceremony for his VC on 27 Nov 1919, the King granted Andrew a one-year leave. He returned to Cape Town and a hero’s welcome, and resumed his studies. He graduated with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering at the end of 1920. 

During the short period 3 Jan–8 Oct 1918, and with a month out for leave in July,  Andrew destroyed 22 enemy aircraft and 16 kite balloons in the air and forced down a further 16 aircraft. These 54 victories made him the fifth-highest ranking RFC/RAF ace of the Great War and to date the most highly decorated military figure in South African history.

Inscriptions on  Beauchamp-Proctor's Grave,  
Mafeking, S.A.

Back in the UK, he was selected to perform at the RAF Pageant, Hendon, but was killed on 21 June 1921 while practicing near Upavon. He was flying a Sopwith Snipe, an aircraft powered by a tricky rotary engine, with which he was not familiar. Originally he was  buried with full military honours at Upavon Church Cemetery under a standard Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) headstone. Later, in August 1921 his remains were relocated to St. John’s Church Cemetery, Mafeking, then in Cape Province, South Africa. This cemetery has only five CWGC burials (two are WWII-related), but it rates a Cross of Sacrifice. Plus, his CWGC headstone remains at Upavon, which has 95 CWGC graves..

Sources include especially the VCGC Association and  the Second Supplement to The London Gazette of 29 November 1918. 30 November 1918, Numb. 31042, p. 14204