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    © Imperial War Museums 2026

    Memorial

    Captain R Westmacott MC

    Window

    Source: Copyright P Barber

    1/2

    Current Location

    North Wall, The Royal Military Chapel (The Guards' Chapel) of St James Park, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, Westminster, City Of Westminster, Greater London, SW1E 6HQ, England

    OS Grid Reference

    TQ 29521 79583

    Denomination

    Church of England

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    Names listed on this memorial

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    © WMR-49043

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    Type of Memorial
    Window
    WMR Reference Number
    49043
    Description
    Plain glass slit window with etched inscription. At top, etched regimental badge and Royal cypher "ER". In Centre, winged dagger badge and motto of SAS.
    Inscription
    TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY OF/ CAPTAIN/ RICHARD WESTMACOTT/ M.C./ GRENADIER GUARDS/ KILLED IN ACTION/ 2ND MAY 1980/ ALWAYS A LITTLE FURTHER/ THIS WINDOW WAS GIVEN BY/ MEMBERS OF HIS REGIMENT/ AND HIS FRIENDS.
    War
    Northern Ireland Conflict; The Troubles (1969-1998)
    Number Commemorated
    1
    Died
    1
    Information shown
    Rank, forename, surname, decoration, regiment, manner of death, date of death
    Sponsor Type
    other
    Custodian
    Guards' Chapel

    Components

    Window

    Made from: Glass


    Condition: Good


    • Details of his death-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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 (IRA). He was the highest-ranking SAS officer to be killed in Northern Ireland during Operation Banner. He was in command of an eight-man plainclothes SAS patrol that had been alerted by the Royal Ulster Constabulary that an 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