Michael Alfred WEST was born at Katanning in Western Australia on 3 May 1921, the youngest of two children of Frederick Charles Gleason WEST and Violet Beatrice WEST (nee ATTREE).
Michael was 19 years old and an accountant when he enrolled in the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve on 19th of July 1940. This commitment was a precursor of his intended enlistment in the Air Force and the individual was obligated to undertake study in maths and science in order to improve their chances of selection for air cadet training. At the time, Michael was also training with the 16th Battalion Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia, a militia unit.
On 3 February 1941, Michael was formally enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force Citizen Air Force and his formal discharge from the militia took effect the day before. His service file contains the following description:
Age: 19 years 9 months
Height: 5 feet 6 ¼ inches
Weight: 134 lbs
Chest: 33/36 ½ inches
Complexion: Medium
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Dark Brown
Religion: C/of England
Michael underwent his air cadet training at No 5 Initial Training School (ITS), which was located in Pearce (Western Australia). He survived the intensive training course and was mustered for pilot training at No 9 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) at Cunderin (WA), arriving there on 1 May 1941. He successfully completed the course and was mustered for single-engine pilot training at No 4 Service Flying Training School at Geraldton (WA) on 30 June 1941.
Every 28 days an intake of 60 or so pupils would arrive at the School spending three to four months or so before about 50 would graduate. The course was broken into an intermediate and an advanced course, generally each of eight weeks duration. However due to the demand for pilots, courses were cut short to keep the flow of men moving who were destined for service in the United Kingdom. Michael graduated and was awarded his Flying Badge on 26 August 1941. On 17 October, Michael was promoted to sergeant.
Granted a stint of leave, Michael was at No 2 Embarkation Depot (ED) at Bradfield Park (NSW) where he completed his pre-embarkation medicals and kit checks prior to embarking one of the US Matson Lines fast liners on 17 November 1941. Either the SS Mariposa or Monterey, these troopships generally sailed without escort as they could reach 22 knots (42 km/h). The ships docked on one of the west coast ports and the airmen entrained to Vancouver and across Canada to the port of Halifax in Nova Scotia. It was from here where the great convoys formed up for the dangerous journey across the North Atlantic. The troopships, like the SS Île de France and the RMS Queen Mary, which had speeds of 23 knots and 28 knots respectively, carrying upwards of seven and weight thousand men. Michael’s ship docked in England on 1 February 1942 and he immediately entrained to No 3 Personnel Reception Centre at Bournemouth. The newcomers spent three weeks at the Centre undergoing induction, equipment issues, medicals and some local leave. On 24 February, Michael was posted to No 1 Glider Training School (G.T.S.) which was based at RAF Thame in Buckinghamshire, where he underwent glider pilot training.
The British Glider Pilot Regiment had only just been formed and the first pilots had been volunteers recruited from all branches of the armed forces, primarily the Army, but as the squadron began to conduct training exercises, arguments broke out between the RAF and the Army over the pilots. In the view of the RAF, gliders were aircraft and therefore came under their jurisdiction and should be controlled by them; the Army argued that as the glider pilots would subsequently be fighting alongside the troops they had transported, they should come under Army control. After much debate, a compromise was brokered between the two services: the pilots would be recruited from the Army but would be trained by the RAF.
A posting to No 102 (Glider) Operational Training Unit at RAF Kidlington on 15 April saw Michael participate in further training of pilots for the Hotspur glider. On 4 June 1942, he was at No 296 Squadron, a transport squadron re-equipped with Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley aircraft used for towing the gliders. Michael spent 14 days with the Squadron before returning to 102 (Glider) O.T.U. and then back to 296 Squadron on 17 July. On 17 October 1942, Michael was commissioned as a Pilot Officer. That day he married Nancy HOUSE in Surrey. His glider training continued with a posting to No. 2 G.P.E.U at Netheravon and Shrewton on 8 February 1943.
Netheravon in Wiltshire and was the principal training area for glider and parachutist training in the United Kingdom, and it was also where 297 Squadron was based. Michael was posted to the Glider Pilot’s Exercise Unit (G.P.E.U.) on 8 February 1943 and remained with the glide unit until 1 June 1943 when he was posted to No 52 Operational Training Unit at RAF Debden; the unit had been formed in March 1941 to train pilots using the Hawker Hurricane. In the meantime, he was promoted to Flying Officer on 17 April 1943, exactly six months after his commissioning; this was in accordance with RAAF policy for airmen serving overseas. On 9 September 1943, Michael was posted to No 453 Squadron, a RAAF Article XV squadron. The Squadron’s Commanding Officer was Squadron Leader Kevin Barclay who would soon be replaced by Squadron Leader Donald Andrews.
On 8 October 1943, the Squadron intercepted a formation of eight Messerschmitt Bf-110 fighters and shot down five for the loss of two Spitfires. Further moves occurred throughout the early part of 1944 as the squadron undertook mainly ground attack duties in the lead up to the Allied invasion of Europe. Soon after D-Day the squadron moved to France, where it operated from the hastily constructed landing ground B11 at Longues-sur-Mer, close to the front line. On 16 June, a large-scale dogfight was fought with 12 Messerschmitt Bf 109s over Caen, during which several were shot down. As the Allies advanced, the squadron moved forward so that it could continue to provide close support to the ground troops. This continued until September 1944 when the squadron was withdrawn back to the United Kingdom. On 16 October 1944, having completed 200 operational hours Michael was rotated out of his frontline unit and posted to Headquarters Fighter Command. The next day, Michael was promoted to Flight Lieutenant.
Michael remained with HQ Fighter Command until 27 January 1945 when he was posted to No 11 Personnel Depot Receiving Centre (PDRC) at Bournemouth; fellow pilot Don Smith had been posted there on 15 January. This unit had been the principal unit for processing Australian airmen arriving in Britain throughout the war and was now processing men for their return to Australia. Even though Germany had not yet been defeated, the Air Boards of the RAF and RAAF had been planning the winding down of the influx of airmen from the Commonwealth countries since August 1943 – simply, the RAF had more men than it needed.
This was to be Michael’s longest posting, he remained with 11 P.D.R.C. until 17 October when he was posted to RAF Bentley Priory, the Headquarters of RAF Fighter Command; his duties there were recorded as “Special”. On 29 October 1945, was posted to No 33 Personnel Dispersal Centre (P.D.C.)
Michael embarked from Portsmouth for the return voyage to Australia. Disembarking at Fremantle on 30 April 1946, Michael underwent his pre-discharge medicals and processing at No 5 Personnel Depot and was demobilised on 18 June 1946.
Post-war, Michael worked as a wool buyer, in and insurance industry and later heavy engineering and rural engineering. There were three children of the marriage.
Michael’s brother, Gerald Charles West had enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy on 4 August 1941 and was demobilised on 5 December 1945.
Michael Alfred West died on 8 February 1983.
References:
Service file of 405586 Michael Alfred WEST downloaded from the National Archives of Australia.
Wikipedia, the glider Pilot Regiment, sourced 3 November 2020.