Part 14

=BAXTER, JAMES PATRICK=, Private, No. 5640, 2nd Battn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers, eldest _s._ of James Baxter, of School Street, Kilcock, co. Kildare, by his wife, Mary, dau. of John Word; _b._ Kilcock, 26 Jan. 1883; educ. the Christian Brothers’ School there; joined the 3rd Battn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers on the outbreak of war, and was later transferred to the 2nd Battn. He died at Netley Hospital, 4 May, 1915, from wounds received at St. Julien on the night of 25–26 April; _unm._ Private Baxter’s two younger brothers are also in the Army.

=BAXTER, JOHN HENRY=, Private, No. 10456, 2nd Battn. The Royal Scots, 3rd _s._ of Frederick Henry Baxter, of 19, Portland Road, Colchester, Bootmaker in Government workshop, by his wife, Georgina, dau. of William Calversbert, of Colchester, Essex; _b._ Colchester, 17 Sept. 1890; educ. National School there; enlisted 4 Jan. 1909; served five years in India, and after the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914, came home with his regt. and went to France in Dec. He was invalided home in Jan. 1915, with frozen feet, but returned to duty in July, and was killed in action in the attack on Loos, 25 Sept. 1915; _unm._

=BAYFIELD, ALFRED=, Stoker, P.O. 286348, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.

=BAYLEY, ALBERT EDWARD=, A.B., S.S. 3556, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BAYLEY, GEORGE BAIRD=, 2nd Lieut., King’s Own Scottish Borderers, only _s._ of Isaac Fenton Bayley, of The Halls, Dunbar, East Lothian, by his wife, Grace Jane, dau. of Gideon Pott, of Dod, co. Roxburgh; _b._ Halls, 1 July, 1894; educ. Cheltenham College and Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut., 24 Jan. 1914; killed in action at Ypres, 24 Oct. 1914; _unm._ Lieut. Bayley was wounded at Le Cateau, being invalided home, and had only returned to the Front a short time before he fell. He was mentioned in F.M. Sir J. French’s Despatch of 14 Jan. 1915, for gallant and distinguished service in the field.

=BAYLY, CHARLES GEORGE GORDON=, Lieut., R.E. and Royal Flying Corps, only _s._ of the late Brackenbury Bayly, of the Cape Civil Service, M.I.E.E., by his wife, Beatrice Mary Jesser, dau. of Col. William Jesser Coope, late 57th regt.; _b._ Rondebosch, Cape Colony, 30 May, 1891; educ. Diocesan College School, South Africa, St. Edmunds Preparatory School, Hindhead, St. Paul’s School, Kensington, and Woolwich Academy, which he entered in Feb. 1910 as a Gentleman Cadet. He gained a scholarship for St. Paul’s School and later won an exhibition from the school on passing into Woolwich. He passed out 7th into the R.E., and while at Chatham represented the R.E. at football and cricket, and took his aviator’s certificate at Hendon (No. 441). On leaving Chatham he was gazetted to the 56th Field Co. R.E., and was stationed at Bulford Camp, Salisbury Plain. While here he won 2nd prize in the Royal Artillery point-to-point steeplechase. In May, 1914, he was appointed to take his course at the Central Flying School, Upavon, having applied for service in the Royal Flying Corps on leaving Chatham. Here he was interested in the study of wireless telegraphy from aeroplanes. On the outbreak of war he was gazetted to the 5th squadron Royal Flying Corps, and on leaving the school at Upavon was very highly reported on, his confidential report being “Very good indeed as pilot and his capabilities as an officer being above the average,” and an added note that he was “A very keen officer with plenty of initiative.” He was amongst the first to reach France, as he flew his machine from Dover to Amiens on 12 Aug. 1914, and thence to Maubeuge. He and his pilot were the first of the Military to be killed in action on the British side in the war. He was killed in action, 22 Aug. 1914, while on reconnaissance duty flying over the German lines, in the neighbourhood of Enghein Rassily, as observer with 2nd Lieut. Waterfall as pilot. They were shot down by German cannon-fire, and were hastily buried by the Germans in ten centimetres of soil, and later the owner of the park where they were buried exhumed the bodies and placed them in zinc coffins to await more decent burial. Lieut. Bayly was an officer full of promise and a keen sportsman. He represented his school at football and won second eleven colours at cricket; he boxed and shot for his house, winning the shooting cup for the house his last year at school. He represented Rosslyn Park at football on leaving school, and while at Woolwich won several prizes both in the athletic sports and swimming sports each year he was there. He was a good horseman and won his spurs at Woolwich.

=BAYNES, JAMES=, Private, No. 10499, 13th Coy., 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, 2nd _s._ of Edward Clemminson Baynes, of 46, Parry Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Chauffeur, by his wife, Annie, dau. of George Dixon, of Blackburn, Bootmaker; _b._ Barrow-in-Furness, 9 July, 1894; educ. Oxford Street Schools there; enlisted Nov. 1913, and was killed in action at Zonnebeke, 21 Oct. 1914; _unm._

=BEACH, ERNEST=, Private, No. 11301, 2nd Battn. East Yorkshire Regt., yst. _s._ of George Beach, of Lime Street, Hull, Tailor, by his wife, Ada, dau. of (--) Gregory; _b._ Hull, 9 Feb. 1895; educ. at the Charterhouse Lane Board School there. Prior to the outbreak of war he worked at the Hull City Saw Mills; enlisted 2 Sept. 1914, and had only been at the Front 11 days when he was wounded while on guard by bursting shrapnel, 28 Feb. 1915. He died in County Kendal Hospital, Westmoreland, 21 March following; _unm._

=BEADLE, JESSE AUGUSTUS=, Private, No. 1906, 2nd Battn. 1st Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, 3rd _s._ of the late Jesse Delias Beadle, by his wife, Susannah (125, Broadway, Bexley Heath, Kent), dau. of John Nash, of Chadwell St. Mary’s, Essex; _b._ Bexley, co. Kent, 20 Dec. 1890; educ. Bexley Heath. In Australia on the outbreak of war, he joined the Australian Imperial Force, left for the Dardanelles with the 5th Reinforcements, being employed as a bomb thrower, and was killed in action in the advance at Lone Pine, Gallipoli, 7 Aug. 1915; buried at sea. He _m._ in Sydney, New South Wales, March, 1914, Laura, dau. of (--) Casey, and had one dau., Ivy Alma, _b._ 10 Feb. 1915.

=BEADON, BASIL HERBERT EDWARDS=, Capt. and Adjutant, 7th Battn. (Merioneth and Montgomery) Royal Welsh Fusiliers (T.F.), yr. _s._ of Col. Frederick Watson Beadon, of Longley Hall, Huddersfield, V.D., Land Agent for the Ramsden Estates, Huddersfield, formerly commanding the 5th and 7th West Riding Regt., by his wife, Elizabeth Eleonora, dau. of the late William Bolam, of High Cross House, Newcastle-on-Tyne; _b._ Longley Hall, co. York. 11 Jan. 1887; educ. Cheltenham College and Sedbergh, and took up his father’s profession of Land Agent. He was brought up on the Ramsden Estate, then on the Duke of Buccleuch’s Rugby estate, and finally on Lord Hothfield’s Shipton property, whence he went to Mr. Naylor-Leyland’s Kerry (Montgomeryshire) estate as sub-agent, and returned to the Ramsden estates as assistant to his father in 1912. He had joined the Warwickshire Yeomanry in 1908, and on leaving the county passed into the 7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in July, 1910, of which he was appointed Lieut. 18 July, 1913, and Capt. and Adjutant, 21 Nov. 1914. On the declaration of war he volunteered with his battn. for foreign service, and was sent to the Dardanelles. Capt. Beadon was killed in action at Suvla Bay, 10 Aug. 1915. According to a letter received by his father he was wounded in the morning, but was able to remain in the fighting line throughout the day. In the evening he had just concluded a consultation with his colonel and was turning to speak to another officer when he was shot by a sniper and killed instantly. He was buried there at 6 a.m. on 11 Aug. He was a keen footballer, and played in the Huddersfield Old Boys’ Rugby Union. Capt. Beadon _m._ at Boroughbridge, 14 Jan. 1913, Margaret Elizabeth, dau. of the late Anthony Maynard, of Newton Hall, co. Durham, M.F.H. North Durham Hounds, and had a dau., Joan, _b._ 1 Feb. 1915. His brother, Lieut. Scarth Beadon, is now (1916) the transport officer in the 18th Durham L.I.

=BEALE, JAMES=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 7771), S.S. 103259, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BEAMES, ALFRED EDWARD=, Leading Stoker (R.F.R., B. 5024), 294677, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=BEAN, FREDERICK JAMES=, Private, No. 6575, Scots Guards, _s._ of A. Bean, of Station Road, Northiam, Sussex; _b._ co. Sussex; enlisted, 2 July, 1906; served with Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action between 4–12 Nov. 1914; _unm._

=BEAN, GEORGE=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch. 16855, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BEAN, SAMUEL JOHN=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 5305), 177884, H.M.S. Hawke; lost in action in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._

=BEANEY, ALBERT EDWARD=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 5833), 182377, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BEANEY, JAMES=, Private, No. G. 4986, 1st Battn. Royal West Kent Regt.; served with Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action 18 April, 1915; _m._

=BEANLAND, HARRY=, Leading Stoker (R.F.R., B. 10231), 298948, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BEARD, FRED=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 4369), 196362, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=BEARMAN, WALTER JOHN=, Stoker, 2nd Class, K. 21160, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=BEARMAN, WILLIE GEORGE=, Leading Seaman, 155050, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BEARNE, ARTHUR HENRY=, Officer’s Steward, 2nd Class, 359286 (Devon.), H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=BEATSON, FREDERICK=, Corpl., No. 9034, 1st Battn. K.O.R. Lancaster Regt., 3rd _s._ of William Beatson, of 16, Oak Street, Wavertree, Liverpool, by his wife, Alice, dau. of William Little; _b._ Liverpool, 22 April, 1887; educ. St. Clement’s National School, Liverpool; enlisted in 1905, served seven years and obtained his discharge in 1913, but on the outbreak of war rejoined, served through the retreat from Mons and the Battles of the Aisne and the Marne, and was killed in action “somewhere” in France, 18 March, 1915; _unm._ He was buried near Le Bizett Hospital, a mile from Armentières. Two of his brothers are now (1916) on active service.

=BEATTIE, ISAAC=, A.B., R.N.V.R., No. Tyneside Z/715, Collingwood Battn., R.N.D., 4th _s._ of John Beattie, of 9, Robson’s Buildings, Windynook, Gateshead, Miner; _b._ Windynook, 1891; educ. at the Council School there; joined the Navy at the outbreak of war, and was killed in action at the Dardanelles, 4 June, 1915; _unm._

=DE VERE BEAUCLERK, NEVILL=, Lieut., 12th, attached 1st, Battn. Essex Regt., only child of Robert Sidney de Vere Beauclerk, B.A., London [gt.-gt. gdson. of Lord Sidney Beauclerk, 5th _s._ of Charles, 1st Duke of St. Albans, K.G.], and of Beatrice, dau. of the late Alfred Richard Hollebone; _b._ Ingatestone, co. Essex, 13 Oct. 1895; educ. Kenilworth School, near Cape Town, and South African College, Cape Town. At the age of sixteen he was a member of the Cape Town Society of Model Engineers, and won the Ashenden Shield for model speed-boat construction; on coming to London two years later he passed together the London Matriculation Examination and the Entrance Examination into the second year of the City and Guilds Engineering College. On the outbreak of war he immediately volunteered, and having had training in the South African Defence Force, obtained a commission as 2nd Lieut. in the 12th (Service) Battn. Essex Regt. For the first month he did Captain’s work at Harwich, and was within three months (9 Dec. 1914) promoted Lieut., later being appointed instructor in musketry, and afterwards machine gun officer. In the latter capacity he was sent with reinforcements to the Dardanelles, and attached to the 1st Battn. of his regt. He was killed in action while in charge of his gun, at Gallipoli, 17 June, 1915; _unm._ Letters received by his parents from friends and brother officers all testify to his cheerful disposition, his courage, and great capabilities. A private of his gun section wrote: “He was the sort of officer any man would be willing to die for,” and a sergt. of the section remarked to an officer: “Lieut. Beauclerk was the smartest officer we have ever had on the gun.” “Yes,” wrote a brother officer, “he was simply brilliant; but what was even better, he was so lovable.”

=BEAUFORT, FRANCIS HUGH=, Capt., 2nd Battn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire L.I., _s._ of Major Francis Beaufort, Royal Artillery, by his wife, Adela Hastings, dau. of Edward Divett, of Bystock, near Exmouth, M.P. for Exeter (1832–64); _b._ Camberley, Surrey, 27 July, 1883; educ. St. David’s, Reigate, Stone House, Broadstairs, Wellington College, and Christ Church, Oxford (B.A. 1904); while still at Oxford he was attached to the Devonshire Regt. for military training (1904); was nominated by the University for a commission, and was gazetted to the 1st Battn. of the Oxford and Bucks Regt. as 2nd Lieut., 16 Aug. 1905; served in India and Burmah, being promoted Lieut., 10 Aug. 1907, and Capt. 2nd Battn., 18 April, 1914. He was present at the action near Richebourg L’Avoué on 15–16 May, 1915, when the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire L.I. and Inniskillings captured some German breastworks, came unharmed out of the terrific fighting during the night, but was shot in the morning by a sniper while trying to reach his Commanding Officer. He was buried in an orchard about two miles west of Richebourg L’Avoué. Capt. Beaufort _m._, Bamburgh, co. Northumberland, 31 Dec. 1913, Charlotte Gwendoline Frances, 3rd dau. of the late Charles Hope, of Shorestone Hall, near Bamburgh, _s.p._ Capt. Beaufort was descended from François de Beaufort, a Captain in the Dutch service, and afterwards “Chancelier de la Cour à Lippe-Detmold,” who migrated from France on the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, and was by letters patent dated at Vienna, 4 Mar. 1710, which recognised his antecedent French nobility, cr. by the Emperor Joseph I., a noble of the Holy Roman Empire for himself and all his descendants. His fourth son, Daniel Cornelis de Beaufort (_b._ Wesel, 29 July, 1700), took Holy Orders, and was naturalised in Great Britain by Act of Parliament, 15 April, 1742, and died Archdeacon of Tuam and Rector of Clonenagh Queen’s Co., 1788.

=BEAUFORT, OSTCLIFFE HAROLD=, 2nd Lieut., 1/6th Battn. North Staffordshire Regt. (T.F.), 2nd _s._ of John William Beaufort, Managing Director of Messrs. Elliott & Fry, Ltd., of 55–56, Baker Street, W., by his wife, Lucy Anne, dau. of John Ostcliffe; _b._ Birmingham, 20 Oct. 1893; educ. Wellington College, Salop, and Birmingham University where he was for several years a member of the O.T.C.; gazetted as 2nd Lieut. to the 1/6th Staffords, 26 Aug. 1914, went to the front Feb. 1915, was wounded in Aug. 1915, and afterwards appointed Brigade Grenade Officer, and was killed in the fighting for the Hohenzollern Redoubt, 13 Oct. 1915; _unm._ Writing to his brother on the previous day, he said: “We attack to-morrow afternoon, hold the new trenches all night and get relieved the next night. If I see these three days through all will be well, and leave will be granted.” His Colonel wrote: “He was a very good and reliable officer, never sparing himself, and doing everything to the best of his ability”; and his Major: “He came to the regt. a stranger, but very soon endeared himself to everyone. He was a most efficient officer, and any duty given him was done in a most satisfactory manner.” A brother officer, writing to his father, gave the following interesting account of the fighting that day: “He, Beaufort, was killed in the trenches 2½ miles N.E. of Bethune, 6 miles south of La Bassée. As you know, he was Brigade Grenade Officer, and he was in charge of the bombing party, whose job it was to turn the Germans out of a trench known as ‘Big Willie,’ which runs south from the Hohenzollern Redoubt. He and his party were in part of ‘Big Willie,’ which our division held, and he commenced bombing it simultaneously with the charge. They made good headway, but the attack was driven back. Harold commenced to go back along a communication trench to issue further orders to the N.C.Os. in charge of the Brigade Store, when a high explosive shrapnel shell burst close beside him. The brass nose cap and time fuse, a piece of metal about the size of a cricket ball, hit him in the right breast and came out of the left shoulder blade, killing him instantaneously. He was buried in the rear of the trenches, along with four other brave officers who fell. The time was about 2.20 p.m. on Wednesday, 13 Oct. 1915. The arrangement for the supply of bombs and grenades was excellent, but Harold had not reckoned with the attack failing. His orders were for the Brigade Store to be transferred to ‘Big Willie’ when the German front line was taken. It was not taken, and Harold was afraid that all the bombs would be brought up, as in the excitement is was very difficult for everyone to know what had happened, and probably his storekeeper would imagine that we had succeeded. If the bombs had been sent up it is very likely that a German grenade would have dropped on them and detonated the lot. To save this loss, which could not have been replaced under at least an hour, Harold went back and met his death. He had done a very good work; he was in front of his men, throwing bombs and encouraging the others, and without a doubt was the means of keeping the bombers together. Only three of his party got out safely, and they cannot say anything good enough about him; they say he was marvellous. Enclosed is a rough map of the trenches. Harold was at A bombing to the left. The battalion were in the trench marked B, and they charged across the open to ‘Big Willie.’ I was at C with the machine guns covering Harold’s party. We two were isolated from the battalion during the attack, so I don’t think there is another officer who could tell you more than I can, except N. C. Joseph, who was the battalion bombing officer, and he lies now at the Bournbrook Hospital with a broken jaw and a bullet in each leg. We have heard from him, and he writes it will be about ten weeks before he is able to speak, but he could write you and give fuller particulars, as he was with Harold all the time. By 4 p.m. Thursday, 14 Oct. the Hohenzollern Redoubt and ‘Big Willie’ were entirely in our hands, at the cost of about 170 officers and 4,000 men.”

=BECHER, HENRY OWEN DABRIDGCOURT=, Capt., 1st Battn. (Scottish Rifles) Cameronians, elder _s._ of the Rev. Harry Becher, Rector of Rosscarbery, co. Cork, by his wife, Zoê Louisa, dau. of the late R. M. Hudson, of Oak Lea, Sunderland; _b._ Curate’s House, Houghton-le-Spring, co. Durham, 15 Aug. 1889; educ. Grammar School, Haverfordwest, Marlborough and Sandhurst; was gazetted to the 1st Battn. Cameronians, 20 April, 1910, and promoted Lieut. 15 Feb. 1913, and Capt. 11 March, 1915. On the outbreak of war he went to the Front with the first Expeditionary Force, and served continuously through the winter of 1914–15, including the retreat from Mons, etc. He was killed in action at Bois Grenier, 13 March, 1915, two days after he had obtained his company, and was buried with four brother officers behind the police barracks at Bois Grenier; _unm._ Major Oakley, in command of the regt. at the time, wrote that he was killed “about 9 a.m. He was going his company trenches and was talking to some men. He stood right up, but only just showing, when he was shot dead. He was in command of C Coy. at the time, and had been ever since Capt. Jack left sick. You know how highly we all thought of him. As for myself, I feel it impossible to write all I think. He has been my constant companion and right-hand man in the company ever since the regt. came home from S. Africa--so hard working, reliable, clever, good with the men and beloved by all on this campaign. What we all thought of him in peace has been more than proved in war.” And Brig.-Gen. F. Gordon: “As Commander of the 19th Infantry Brigade, I wish to express to you my heartfelt sympathy in the death, in the trenches, of your dear son, Capt. H. O. D. Becher, 1st Cameronians. He was a very gallant and valuable young officer, of the type that can ill be spared at such a time. He was not only a particularly efficient and capable officer, but was a general favourite.”

=BECHER, MAURICE ANDREW NOEL=, Capt., 1st Battn. King’s Own Scottish Borderers, only _s._ of Brig.-Gen. Andrew Cracroft Becher, of Howbury, St. Andrews, Fife, late Norfolk Regt., and now commanding the .... Division, by his wife, Frances Maude, dau. of the late Maurice Johnson, of Ayscough Fee Hall, co. Lincoln; _b._ Lowestoft, 30 Dec. 1884; educ. Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge; gazetted to the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, 28 June, 1905, promoted Lieut. 24 July, 1907, and Capt. 15 May, 1914. On the outbreak of war he returned with his battn. from India in Oct. 1914, and proceeded to the Dardanelles with the 29th Division. He was killed, 26 April, 1915, the morning following the landing at Y Beach, Gallipoli, conspicuous to the last, as the few survivors relate, by his coolness and daring. He _m._ at St. Andrews, 18 Dec. 1912, Violet Isabel, yr. dau. of Charles Todd, of St. Andrews, and left two daus.: Frances Isabel, _b._ 16 Dec. 1913; Anne Violet, _b._ 26 Sept. 1915.

=BECK, ARTHUR=, Private, No. 13356, 4th Battn. Coldstream Guards; 3rd _s._ of John William Beck, of 119, Latimer Road, Eastbourne, by his wife, Alice, dau. of David Styles, of West Hoathly, co. Sussex; _b._ Turner’s Hill, co. Sussex, 22 Oct. 1894; educ. there; enlisted 31 Oct. 1914, and _d._ at Caterham Military Hospital, 7 Feb. 1915, of spotted fever and meningitis contracted while on active service; _unm._

=BECK, JOSEPH=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 3130), S.S. 506, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=BECK, ROBERT LEONARD=, Acting Leading Stoker, K. 11017, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BECKETT, RICHARD=, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 693), 125116, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BEDDOW, RICHARD CHARLES=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 4338), S.S. 102882, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.