  captain andrew (anthony) frederick weatherby beauchamp-proctor, vc, dso, mc and bar, dfc (4 september 1894 &ndash; 21 june 1921) was a south african 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. he was south africa's leading ace for world war i; he was credited with 54 aerial victories. ==early life== beauchamp-proctor was born 4 september 1894 in mossel bay, cape province, the second son of a school teacher and attended the oldest school in the country, south african college schools, cape town, where he was a resident of the oldest residence in the country, college house residence (where his father was warden). he was studying engineering at university of cape town when the european war broke out. he took leave from his studies to join the duke of edinburgh's own rifles. he served as a signalman in the german south-west africa campaign. in august 1915, he was demobilised with an honorable discharge. he promptly went to work with the south african field telegraph and re-enrolled in university. he managed to complete his third year of college before re-enlisting, this time with the royal flying corps (rfc), in march 1917. he was accepted as an air mechanic third class. from there, he passed on to pilot training at the school of military aeronautics at oxford in england, where he was also commissioned. he managed to learn to fly despite his wiry stature of five feet two inches (1.57 m). his aircraft was altered to accommodate him; his seat was raised so he could have a better view from the cockpit and so he could reach controls. blocks of wood were also fastened on his rudder bar so he could reach it. on 10 june 1917, he soloed after just over five hours flying time. he crashed upon landing, wiping out
1894_births 1921_deaths Accidental_deaths_in_London African_people_of_British_descent Aviators_killed_in_aviation_accidents_or_incidents_in_the_United_Kingdom Companions_of_the_Distinguished_Service_Order People_from_Mossel_Bay Recipients_of_the_Distinguished_Flying_Cross_(United_Kingdom) Recipients_of_the_Military_Cross_and_Bar Royal_Air_Force_officers Royal_Air_Force_personnel_of_World_War_I Royal_Air_Force_recipients_of_the_Victoria_Cross Royal_Flying_Corps_officers South_African_World_War_I_flying_aces South_African_World_War_I_recipients_of_the_Victoria_Cross University_of_Cape_Town_alumni Victims_of_aviation_accidents_or_incidents_in_the_United_Kingdom