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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
L/Cpl. Frank Sydney Bee
British Army 8th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment
from:Gamston, Nottingham
(d.4th January 1918)
Frank Bee was my great-great grandfather. I currently don't know a lot about his service, but I know he served with the 8th Battalion North Staffs from around 1915 onwards. I believe he is buried at a small war grave in northern France. Given the centenary approaching, I've been trying to find out more about him and the 8th Battalion to see where he may have fought and in what battle he may have died.
Pte. George William Bee
British Army 17th Battalian Notts and Derby Regiment
from:6 Greendale Square, Walker Street, Sneinton, Nottingham
(d.8th Apr 1917)
George Bee was my Great uncle he was born on 16th February 1899 at Brougham Street, Sneinton, Nottingham, the youngest child of George and Alice Bee. George served with the Notts and Derby Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) 17th Battalion. He was killed in action on 8th April 1917 aged 18 when serving at Ypres, Belgium and is buried at Viamertinghe Military Cemetery,VI,E 16,.Belguim.
I do not have a photograph of George but would love one, if anyone does have any more information on George Bee could you please contact me.
Cpl. George Bee
British Army 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment
from:London
(d.11th June 1915)
George Bee was killed in action on the 11th of June 1915 and was buried in Rue-David Military Cemetery at Fleurbaix in France.
Pioneer. E. Beeby
British Army 212th Company Royal Engineers
(d.9th Dec 1916)
Pioneer E Beeby served with the Royal Engineers 212th Company. He was executed for desertion on 9th December 1916 and is buried in the Albert Communal Cemetery, in Somme, France
2nd Cpl. R. Beeby
British Army 121 Field Coy Royal Engineers
from:Newcastle upon Tyne
(d.7th Jun 1917)
Pte. Edward Beech
British Army 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Nottingham
(d.16th June 1915)
9285 Private Edward Beech was my grandfather's cousin and served with W Company, 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action at the Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge 16th June 1915. Edward was the son of William Beech, a Coal Miner, and his wife Annie, and was born in Nottingham in 1887. Before joining the army Edward worked as a Printer’s Boy.
Edward joined the 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers in 1903 and enlisted at Gravesend, Kent. In November 1903 he became an un-paid Lance Corporal with a promotion to Corporal in early February 1904 and completed his tour of duty. Edward married Mabel Grice, in Nottingham in 1907. They had no issue.
Recalled to duty from the reserves at the outbreak of war, Edward was posted to the 1st Battlaion as the 2nd Battalion had left for service in India the previous year. He disembarked for service in France on 13th August 1914 and was among the original contingent of his unit, the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.
Although I have not been able to confirm it beyond doubt, Edward probably saw action in all the early battles of the war that the battalion was involved in including Mons, Le Cateau, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Aisne 1914. On 16th June 1915 the battalion, as part of 9th Brigade, attacked Bellewaarde Ridge which had been captured earlier by the Germans creating a bulge in the British Lines. Below is attached an extract from the Battalion War Diary covering this action:
Our artillery started the bombardment at 2:50 Hrs. and with two pauses, continued till 4:15 Hrs. the time laid down for the attack to commence. The enemy soon replied at first with shrapnel, later with heavy shell. His fire was mostly directed at Railway Wood, and a certain proportion of gas shells were fired. Owing to the proximity of the enemy’s trenches and the necessity for low bursts to cut the barbed wire entanglements, our own artillery caused us a certain number of casualties before the attack commenced.
At 4.15 a.m. the attack was launched, the front line of the trenches was quickly taken also the alternative trenches behind. In front of the trenches a certain amount of resistance was offered, in others the enemy surrendered almost at once. The battalion suffered rather heavily, many prisoners were taken.
The battalion started for the 2nd line of the enemy’s trenches after a very short interval and letter Z, Co. which was in support came forward to the front line. Z, Co. suffered severely from the very heavy shell fire brought to bear on them by the German artillery, both light and heavy.
Letter W – Y Co. bore to the left and started bombing down the enemy’s trenches. Here there was severe fighting. The tide of battle ebbed and flowed, finally the enemy received reinforcements of men and bombs and that combined with strongly placed machine guns, forced us to abandon the idea of a further advance in that particular direction for the time being. (viz to Y7 and Y8, vide map appendix).
In the meanwhile portions of Z and X Cos. With some of the Liverpool and Scottish advanced and made good a line just W (west) of Beelwarde Farm. Here being exposed to sniping from both flanks and machine gun fire from the left flank they halted near old and shallow French trench and dug themselves in. This trench was only very lightly held owing to the paucity of men.
Casualties though not heavy were frequent. Captain Sloper and a party bombed down a communication trench and rushed the enemy’s third line of trenches. They remained here about an hour. The adjoining troops returned and a good many casualties occurred. So both flanks being in the air a retirement was made to the new trench dug behind Bellewarde Farm. Only thin metal entrenching tools were available to dig this trench and the ground was hard and there had not been time to finish digging the trench properly. During this time the enemy heavily “Crumped†Railway Wood and Bellwarde.
There was a lull as regards direct fire on the advanced trenches for two or three hours, but casualties from fire from the left flank were frequent and Railway Wood and its vicinity were continually “Crumpedâ€Â. In the meantime on the left positions Cos. W and Y had consolidated the positions a little N (north) of Y.ll.
Early in the afternoon the enemy marched E (east) of Bellewarde Farm in their trenches and opened a heavy rifle and machine gun fire on our advanced position from close range. Attempts were made to block the assault up a CT (communication Trench) towards Y.ll. With bombs, but all our bombers were killed.
Finally the troops on our right having retired some time previously and so leaving us outflanked on both sides, the front line was withdrawn under heavy fire of rifles, machine guns and artillery, light and heavy, to the first line of German trenches captured in the morning, where the battalion was relieved after dark by the Royal Scots of 8th Infantry Brigade. A number of gas shells were fired during this retirement.
The battalion went into action with 15 Officers and 645 Other Ranks. At the end of the day, the War Diary records that all the officers and 414 men were identified as killed, wounded or missing. I have since identified a further three men who do not appear in the War Diary but are listed on Soldiers Died and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website as casualties on the day.
The majority of the casualties have no identified graves and are recorded on the Menin Gate. Whilst I am currently working through the list, I have found very few men who have a marked grave. It is intended to publish this research at a later date.
W Company have 119 casualties listed in the War Diary including all the company officers. One of these is 9258 Private Edward Beech, who is listed as a Lance Corporal, so may have served in an unpaid capacity. Edward was listed as killed but either his body was hastily buried and subsequently lost or not recovered, as he is listed on the Menin Gate. To date I have only identified three soldiers in this comapny with a marked grave - one at Tyne Cot (3065 Private Arthur Nettleton) , one in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery(7718 Private R Lambert) and one in Moorseele Military Cemetery (7917 Private J McCullagh) The latter two died in the days following the attack, presumably of wounds received. Moorseele remained behind the lines until 1918, so it is likely that McCullagh was also a POW when he died.
In addition to Edward, my grandfather Thomas Beech, served throughout the war in the 454th Company ASC, 46th Divisional Train, having been a pre war Territorial. His brother Charles served in the same unit having also been a pre war Territorial. A third brother, George, was conscripted in 1918 and after training, joined No.5 Squadron RAF as an armourer arriving in France on 3rd November 1918. A forth brother, Harold joined up as a regular soldier in 1919 and rejoined the army in 1941 seeing service in North Africa and Italy with the RASC. A more distant relative, Private Albert Royston, joined the 1st/7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters - The Robin Hood Rifles - as an underage volunteer in 1914. He was killed in action with the battalion at Gommecourt on 1st July 1916, he was 17 years of age.
Today, all these men are long gone, my grandfather died in 1946 when my father was five, and very few people remember them or the deeds they performed. To me, it is important that we remember the sacrifices they made.
Lest We Forget
Cpl. John Henry Beech
British Army 16th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers
(d.23rd May 1918)
John Beech is buried in Warloy-Baillon Cemetery. He died aged 22. My grandfather used to talk about his lost uncle and I have the official death notification amongst family papers I inherited.
Andrew Francis Beecham
Australian Imperial Force. 1st Australian Tunneling Company
Dvr. Abel Beechey
British Army 120th & 111 Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Canal Boat, Glascote, near Atherstone
My Grand uncle Abel Beechey, born and bred a canal boatman joined up on 23/4/1916, could not read or write but decided to fight for his country. Served until the end of the war when demobilised 22/7/1919 and returned to his canal boat. Received the war and Victory medals
Rflmn. Albert Beechey
British Army 9th Btn Rifle Brigade
from:Kensington, London
(d.15th Sep 1916)
Albert Beechey was born in 1892 in Kensington London to Alfred George Beechey and Agnes nee Hutchby. He had a sister and three brothers one of which was my grandfather Walter. Before the war Albert lived with his family in Paddington and worked for the nearby Great Western Railway as a railway porter, along with his father and brother Walter.
He enlisted to the 4th (that would become the 9th) Battalion Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) as rifleman, service number 4516, on 18th March 1912. In February 1915 he was posted to the Western Front with his battalion and fought at both Loos and Arras for which he was awarded the Star medal. His unit must have been back in England when he married as his home address is listed as Sheerness in Kent. He married Florence Jane Marlow in North Kensington, who in the 1901 census when they were aged nine lived only a few doors away in Victoria Dwellings, Ladbroke Road, Kensington. So it seems they would have been childhood sweethearts.
Sadly just a year later on the 15th September 1916 he was killed in the battle of Flers–Courcelette part of the Somme offensive. He was never identified but is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 16 B and 16 C. This battle is noted for the first ever use of a tank in warfare.
His brother Walter was too young to fight in WW1 and too old in WW2 but he always said that he took his revenge when as part of a Home Guard unit he was responsible for a spy being captured trying to signal to enemy aircraft to bomb the nearby railway sidings.
Pte. Albert Ernest Beechey
British Army 8th Btn. Leicestershire Regiment
from:Leicester
(d.19th Dec 1915)
Albert Beechey enlisted at 19 years old in St. Albans on 2nd of September 1914. He embarked from Folkestone on 29th of July 1915.
Lt. Frank Reeve Beechey
British Army 13th (4th Hull) Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment
from:Lincoln
(d.14th Nov 1916)
Frank Beechey was one of 8 brothers who all served in WW1. Sadly 5 of them died.
L/Bmbdr. William Beecroft
British Army Royal Horse Artillery
My partners grandfather, William Beecroft, fought in WWI he was in Royal Horse Artillery. We are replacing his medals (replicas)for his daughter. We're told he had two horses shot from under him so we think his Victory Medal might have included the oak leaf, but I am aware that in order for it to have been he would have needed to be Mentioned in Dispatches.
Florence Jane Beeden
Women's Land Army Newstead Abbey
from:Battersea, London
My nan, Florence Beeden, was stationed at Newstead Abbey as part of the Woman's Land Army. She was quite short but had no fear of riding the shire horses used on the land. She smoked at the time but having taught the other ladies to smoke, then gave up herself! I believe she was given an item from the house when she left, a music box I think which my mother now has along with a book on the abbey. While stationed there she met my Grandad, Percy Beeching who was in training despite having his arm in a sling having recently lost a finger in a threshing machine. Thankfully he never got to France as the war ended before his training was completed I think.
Pte. Arthur Leonard Beedham
British Army 1st Btn. Worcestershire Regiment
from:Westwoodside
(d.27th May 1918)
Len Beedham, could have missed the war and lived a life. He was a farm hand at a farm near were he lived at a small village in the Isle of Axholme of Westwoodside. But he enlisted in the army at Retford & did his training at Cannock then moved to Ashford, Kent were he was stationed till sent to France in May 1918?.
Len, was a skinny 9 stone something, after his army training he had put a few pounds on and filled out and became a handsome young man. After his training at Cannock he went to Ashford in Kent, were he had the photo taken. He was on ten shillings a week he was doing some sort of extra duty that gave him a few bob more in his army pay. Len and thousands like him were not sent to France, Lloyd George kept the troops in the UK but when the German spring offensive 1918, took place he was sent to France.
Unfortunately for him he was sent to the 1st Battalion the Worcesters, who were reforming and resting after the attack by the Germans in April around the Somme area as reinforcements. As things turned out this area, under French military along the Chemin des Dames, was the next area attacked by the Germans the Worcesters were sent up the line in defence. When the Germans attacked on the 27th May the battalion was decimated. Len was one of many killed on this day reported as missing. He and many others who were sent to the Regiment as reinforcement never stood a chance, by Bruchmullers bombardment. They did not get to learn any thing of trench war. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end! He was in France a matter of days then dead. His brothers, sisters, mum and his dad only got to know he was killed reported missing near Riems the largest town near to the action. He is named on a memorial in Soissons.
Over the years my mums cousin, Ron Shipley, [great aunt Mabels lad] did extensive research and found out more which Len's parents, brothers and sisters never had any idea of. Its thanks to Ron that we have more on poor Len Beedham 42285 1st Worcesters. He received a soft victory medal for his endeavours, it was in my grandads [Lens youngest brother Alf] wardrobe for many a year, bent and a little battered, now gone! Grandad sat me on his kneed and told me all he knew about Len as told to him by his mum and sisters & brothers Mabel, Blanche & Horace.
Pte. Arthur Leonard Beedham
British Army 1st Btn. Worcestershire Regiment
from:Westwoodside
(d.6th Jun 1918)
Arthur Beedham served with the 1st Btn. Worcestershire Regiment.
Pte. Charles Peter Beedie
British Army 7th Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment
from:Tannadice
(d.15th August 1917)
Pte. Joseph Clark Beedie
British Army 1st Battalion East Kent Buffs
from:Tannadice
(d.17th March 1917)
Joseph Clark Beedie (son of David Barclay Beedie and Helen Roberts Beedie) is buried at the Maroc British Cemetery Maroc in Grenay, France.
His brother Charles Beedie (7th Btn, Bedfordshire Regt) also died 15th Aug 1917 and is remembered on the Menin Gate.
His nephew William Adison Beedie (Black Watch) was shot in the ankle but survived the war
Pte. Alexander James Beer
Australian Imperial Force 9th Brigade, D Company 36th Btn.
from:10 Taylor Street, Glebe, New South Wales, Australia
(d.18th July 1917)
I have reports giving different places for Alec Beer's burial site. 1: Close to the front line at the spot between Messines & Wulverghem not far from the Messines Road. 2: Left of Ploegsteet Wood 3: Buried at Messines 300 yards to the left of Huns Walk
He was buried with a 'good' ceremony by the Chaplain & a cross was put up with his name on it. Later there was a big advance & all the trenches were ploughed up. His discs & watch were removed so he probably does not have any ID. The watch returned to his wife. I do not know what happened to his tags. He was killed when he was hit in the head by a Pineapple bomb during a counter-attack on his first day he was in the line. At home in Sydney he was a Cabman, married with 4 children.
2nd Lt. Edward Albert Beer
British Army 298th Siege Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
from:14, Avenue Rd., Dover.
(d.22nd Sep 1917)
Bert joined the army after leaving school and served until 1913 when he was transferred to the reserves. Recalled from Australia at the outbreak of war, he left his wife in Toowoomba and returned to England to rejoin his regiment. He was sent to the front where he was promoted through the ranks. Bert was killed by a sniper whilst attempting to rescue one of his men who had been wouned in no-man's-land in September 1917 near Voormezelle. He was 30 years old.
Pte. Thomas Beer
British Army 13th Btn. Middlesex Regiment
from:Dun Laoghaire, Dublin
(d.11th Jun 1917)
Thomas Beer was born in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin and also enlisted there. Before joining the Middlesex Regiment he was a member of 6th Reserve Cavalry. Private Beer was killed in action in Flanders during the Battle of Messines and he is commemorated on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial.
Gnr. William Thomas Beer
British Army 39th Ammunition Supply Park Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Dover
(d.22nd Dec 1917)
My grandfather, William Beer, was killed by a shell while on police duty at an Ammunition Park outside Ypres in December 1917. William Thomas Beer joined the Territorials in August 1917. He was transferred to 39th Ammunition Park and sent to the front.
William Thomas Beer, wife Rosina Mary, & children Lillian, Ethel, Winifred, William Alfred & Doris.
The children were orphaned 4 months after this picture was taken when he was killed near Ypres in December 1917. William is buried in Ypres Reservoir Cemettery.
Rflmn. William Beers
British Army 11th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles
from:Comber, Co. Down
(d.22nd March 1917)
Rifleman William Beers was attached to 108th TM battery when he died on 22nd March 1917 at the age of 28. He was the son of Robert Beers, Belfast Road, Comber, Co. Down. He is buried in Kemmel Chateau Cemetery.
Pte. Edward Beesley
British Army 7th Battalion Royal Fusiliers
from:Kilburn
(d.23rd April 1917)
Pte. Francis Henry Beeson
British Army 7th Btn., D Coy Somerset Light Infantry
Francis Beeson enlisted at the start of the war. He was said to have fought in the Battle of the Somme and been gassed. He was in hospital in Rouen on 12th of March 1917 after 6 days in water filled trench up to his thighs where he suffered severe trench foot. He was sent back to England until September of that year.
On return to France he may have been with the 6th Somerset Light Infantry (he was by the end of the war). He was captured on 21st of March 1918 and taken to Germany and used as slave labour until released from a POW camp in November 1918.
Pte. Francis Henry Beeson
Army D Coy., 7th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry
from:Newton Park, Bristol
In a letter written to his wife whilst being transported home for treatment, he wrote on 12 March 1917:
‘Just a line to say I am in dear old England once more. I am in hospital suffering with severe trench feet. I will write again as soon as I can as my intention is to post this as soon as I get off the boat.
I have been in the line 6 days this last time and in places up to our knees in mud. I felt my feet getting numbed when I had been up there 24 hours but I managed to stick it until our time was up and I also walked out myself. After that I could not stand on my legs. Here I am a stretcher case. It was terrible up there. Fritzy would not allow us an hours peace. Several of my pals were killed or wounded. We were only about 60 yds from them and our people were always bombarding his 2nd and 3rd and reserve lines so he began to think we were going to try and turn him out of it. I have been in Rouen since then. Must close now with fondest love to yourself and sonny, ever from loving husband Frank xxxxx’
(Added below and written a little later:) ‘I am on a Midland train so goodness knows where they are going to dump me down. I’ve had a very nice time on the hospital boat, was delayed in the Channel on account of fog. My feet are just beginning to get their circulation back again and the swelling has nearly gone down, rather painful otherwise I feel A-1. Goodbye for now’.
Pte George Beestone
British Army 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
from:Burnhopefield
(d.15th September 1918 )
Pte. Walter Beet
British Army 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
from:Wadworth, Doncaster.
(d.11th April 1918)
I have only just found my grandmother's cousin, Walter Beet, and I wondered why he joined the Durham Light Infantry when living in Yorkshire. Could it be that they marched through Wadsworth on their way to war and he decided to join them?
Editors Note: Walter Beet enlisted in 1917, at this time men were assigned to which ever Battalion required reinforcements and conscription was in force. The concept of Pals Battalions, made up of men from their local area was a thing of the past by the time Walter joined up.
Spr. David Gibson Begbie
British Army 250th Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers.
from:Musselburgh. Edinburgh
(d.20th Jun 1916)
Pte. George M. Begg
British Army 8th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders
from:Wick, Caithness, Scotland
(d.22nd August 1917)
On the day in question, according to "Passchendaele, the Day-by-Day Account" by Chris McCarthy, the 8th Battalion went into action on the left of 44 Brigade (15th Division) along with 7th Camerons. Both suffered heavily from machine-gun fire.
It appears they went into action from the Pommern Castle position, attacking towards Hill 35, which is the slight rise in the field to the left of the road from Zonnebeke to Langemark, between Dochy Farm Cemetery and "Bombarded Crossroad" - the crossroads where there is a turn right towards Gravenstafel and Varlet Farm.
Private George M. Begg is buried in the Dochy Farm New British Cemetery. He was born in 1895, the son of Alexander and Elizabeth Begg of Wick, Caithness, Scotland.
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