Andrew Frederick Weatherby (Anthony) Beauchamp-Proctor, (4 September 1894 – 21 June 1921) was a South African airman and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest 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 of the First World War, being credited with 54 aerial victories. Early life Beauchamp-Proctor was born 4 September 1894 in Mossel Bay, Cape Colony, the second son of a school teacher. He 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 . 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 the landing gear. Nevertheless, he continued to fly solo. He was passed on to a bomber squadron, Number 84, with a little under ten hours' flying experience. When he joined 84 Squadron in July 1917, it was re-forming as a fighter squadron. France 1917–18 On 23 September 1917, the unit went to France flying SE5s. Under the command of Major William Sholto Douglas, the unit became one of the most effective scout squadrons in the RFC/RAF (Royal Air Force) during 1918. The squadron would be credited with a victory total of 323, and