Beach L H F Captain DSO 4th Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment
BEACH, LIONEL HADWEN FLETCHER, D.S.O., Capt., 4th (Territorial) Battn. The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regt.), s. of Dr. Fletcher Beach, of 5, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, S.E., Physician, by his wife, Emily Dora, dau. of Henry Hadwen, Managing Director, Lancaster Bank; b. Darenth Asylum, Dartford, co. Kent, 30 July, 1892; educ. Haileybury College, and Worcester College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1916 (conferred in absence); obtained a commission as 2nd Lieut. 4th Royal West Surrey Regt. in Oct. 1914; served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at Gallipoli from July, 1915, having been previously appointed Lieut. and Signalling Officer landed at Suvla Bay, where he remained about three months, being then attacked with dysentery and invalided home, having been promoted. Temporary Capt. for his services at Suvla Bay. After being at home for six months, he sailed for Egypt, to join his battalion, which had meanwhile been transferred there from Gallipoli; was promoted Acting Major while there, and on two or three occasions, in the absence of his Lieut.-Colonel and Senior Major, commanded the battalion; was severely wounded during the First Battle of Gaza, and sent to hospital in Alexandria, but returned to duty in July, 1917, when he was promoted Capt.; was again severely wounded in a battle after the taking of Jerusalem, and first sent to a hospital at Alexandria and then home, where he arrived in March, 1918, being for a time in a hospital for officers in Berkeley Square, and afterwards in a hospital at Paignton, South Devon. On 9 Nov. 1918, he was discharged from the hospital and given three weeks leave, when he proceeded to Ashford Park Hotel, Coulsdon, co. Surrey, and died there on the 28th of that month, from influenza complicated by pneumonia. Buried in Bandon Hill Cemetery, Coulsdon. Capt. Lionel Beach was mentioned in Despatches by General Murray, for gallant and distinguished service in the field, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order : “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He led his company forward to cover the withdrawal of the advanced troops, remaining under heavy fire and shell fire for two hours, until the operations had been successfully carried out. He was seriously wounded during the action.” The above decoration was bestowed by H.M. the King at Buckingham Palace in June, 1918.
Lieut.-Col. H. St. C. Wilkins, Commanding the Battalion, wrote: “I feel the loss of your son deeply. He was a very good officer, extraordinarily cool under fire and unruffled at all times. I placed implicit confidence in him. The men of his company were devoted to him, and he was a great favourite with everyone who had dealings with him, and deservedly so,” and Sergt. Denyer, D.C.M., who brought Capt. Lionel Beach into the lines when he was wounded in Palestine: “If I managed to be of service to him when he was wounded, I can assure you there were scores of men besides myself that would have only been pleased to render him a like service. He was loved and respected by all, and was not only a fine soldier in action, but a gallant gentleman.” He m. at St. Paul’s, Herne Hill, S.E., Oct. 1915, Eileen Waller, eldest dau. of Capt. Bates, of Coulsdon, and had a son, Jack William Francis, b. Nov. 1916.
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5
