WEST, Percy Francis
| Service Number: | 387 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 September 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Royal Flying Corps |
| Born: | Largs Bay South Australia, 10 August 1894 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Fever, Deolali India, 24 March 1918, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Kirkee War Cemetery, Khadki, Maharashtra, India Maharashta, India |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Largs Bay St Alban's Church Roll of Honor, Largs North Port Adelaide Sailing Club Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Sep 1915: | Enlisted Royal Australian Navy | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 1915: | Involvement 387, 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '24' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Moldavia embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 5 Oct 1915: | Embarked 387, 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train, RMS Moldavia, Melbourne | |
| 8 Apr 1916: | Promoted Royal Australian Navy, Petty Officer | |
| 27 Feb 1917: | Promoted Second Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Virtual Australia
Text supplied by Chas Schaedel and the South Australian Aviation Museum History Group
West joined the Royal Australian Navy on 4 August 1914. He landed at Suvla Bay on 8 December 1915 and took part in the Bridging Train operations that facilitated the AIF evacuation from the Peninsula after which he returned to Alexandria from Mudros on 20 January 1916. He was promoted to Leading Seaman on 31 March and Petty Officer on 8 April 1916 while the Bridging Train continued its work in the Suez Canal area. Later in the year it became evident that the Bridging Train was soon to be disbanded and its members were to be transferred to other service branches.
On 26 November 1916 West transferred to the Officers Training School at Zeitoun and on 27 February 1917 was discharged from the AIF and appointed Second Lieutenant on probabtion RFC Special Reserve. He underwent flying training in Egypt and graduated as 2Lt Pilot before embarking on 10 June to sail to Basrah in Mesopotamia where he took up a posting with No. 30 Squadron RFC which was conducting operations against the Turkish Forces and rebel Arab tribes.
West joined the Squadron on 6 July 1917 and took part in bombing reconnaissance and photography missions being carried out despite the intense heat at that time. On 12 September he was conducting a reconnaissance in a BE2e with Lt F G O Dickinson as his Observer when the escorting Be2e suffered engine trouble. The escort pilot Lt Page was forced to land in enemy territory. Despite mounted Arabs being in the near vicinity, West landed and picked up the escort pilot and flew him back to base.
Bombing missions were carried out when targets were discovered and on 24 October 1917 West carried out an attack where he dropped eight 20 pound bombs on enemy camps. Towards the end of the year the Squadron began to receive RE8 machines to replace the venerable BE2e, but early in 1918 West succumbed to the harsh desert conditions and was struck off the Squadron strength on 28 January 1918. Evacuated to hospital in India, he died there on 24 March 1918 and his name is commemorated on the 1914-1918 Memorial at Kirkee (Khadi) which is a Military Cantonment adjoining Poona above Bombay
Biography contributed by Samuel McAlpine
Percy Francis West was born in Largs Bay, South Australia on the 10th of August, 1894. West's occupation before the war was a clerk. West was unmarried before the war.
West enlisted for the war on the 2nd of September, 1915 and embarked on the HMAT RMS Moldavia on the 5th of October, 1915. West was assigned to the 6th Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train Reinforcement.
West was discharged from the Royal Australian Navy on 27 February, 1917 and appointed second Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps the same day
West died on the 24 March, 1918 and was buried at the British Military Cemetery in Duvallah, India.
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