West, Wilfred Harold

Date of birth:: August 23rd, 1900 (Strood/Kent, United Kingdom)
Date of death:: August 5th, 1984 (Maidstone/Kent, United Kingdom)
Service number:: 108587
Nationality:: British

Biography

After graduation from Sandhurst Royal Military Academy, Wilfred West was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Royal Berkshire Regiment and served between 1919 and 1922 in Dublin, Persia, Iraq and India. In 1922 he resigned his comission and worked as a teacher in Egypt.
Recommissioned at the outbreak of WW2 he served as Public Administrative Department Officer and then served with distinction with SOE’s 102 Military Mission during 1940 to 1942 for which he was awarded a MBE.

West relinquished his commission on 13th March 1948 by which time he held the rank of Temporary Lieutenant Colonel and War Substantive Major after which he went on to live in Zamaler in Egypt, but presumably came home on the outbreak of troubles in Egypt in the 1950’s, and went on to become a master builder, retiring to live in Strood, Kent, he died at Maidstone Hospital on 5th August 1984.

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Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Temporary Major
Awarded on:: September 9th, 1942

Citation:
"This officer has served with the Libyan Arab Force ever since its inception in June 1940 and has played an invaluable part in its organisation. He has also commanded the Training Depot and a Battalion, themselves a Major's Command. During a most difficult period when this Force was in Tobruk from April to July 1941 he was Staff Officer, and again performed valiant service. His keenness, his persistent hard work and his remarkable organising ability have been throughout an example and inspiration to all officers and men in this Force."