SAPPER GERALD AUDLEY BABBINGTON BEARD

5282 – 1st Tunnelling Company

Gerald Beard tried to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force on 31 March 1915. At No.14 Depot Company, an ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ was filled and signed by Gerald.

At that time he recorded that he had been born at Peak Downs, Queensland, that he was 41 years old, married, and a Miner by trade. He recorded his wife, Mrs E.A.B. Beard of 39 Collins Street, Kalgoorlie as his Next-of-Kin.

A Medical Examination at Kalgoorlie on that day records that Gerald was 6ft tall and weighed 203 lbs. He had a medium complexion, grey eyes and brown dark hair. He had a scar on the right side of his abdomen below the navel due to an abscess and it was noted that each little toe overlaps its neighbour. The Doctor concluded that Gerald was ‘considered fit for active service’ and Gerald signed the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ at Boulder, Western Australia on 14 April 1915. A note in the top left hand corner of his ‘Attestation’ states: “Deformed feet – Unfit – Not Accepted.”

Gerald completed an Application to Enlist in the Australian Imperial Force at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, on 6 April 1916, giving his postal address as 24 Butler Street, Kalgoorlie. A Preliminary Medical Examination on that day noted: “Both little toes overlap next toe”. The decision of the Medical Authority was that Gerald was ‘fit for active service’.

Gerald again signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ at Boulder, Western Australia on 11 April 1916. He again named his wife, Mrs Mary Beard of 62 Cargill Street, Victoria Park, Perth as his Next-of-Kin and allotted three-fifths of his pay for the support of his wife and children.

His physical description was somewhat changed from the previous year recording that he was 6ft 1in tall and weighed 174 lbs. His complexion was now dark, his eyes blue and his hair was brown. The description again noted that ‘Both little toes overlap next toe’. Gerald again signed the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’, this time at the Blackboy Hill Camp, Western Australia.

Gerald was assigned to 62 Depot in Perth on 11 April 1916 and then to the 21st Reinforcements for the 11th Infantry Battalion.

On 15 May he was appointed to the Mining Corps Reinforcements at their training camp at Seymour, Victoria.

He embarked at Melbourne, Victoria on 30 September 1916 on board HMAT A23 Suffolk with the September Reinforcements to the Tunnelling Companies already on the Western Front.

Suffolk departed on 30 September 1916 with 166 Tunnellers and arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on 10 October, departing the same day. Arriving at Capetown, South Africa on 30 October, Suffolk departed there the next day and voyaged on to Dakar in West Africa, arriving on 15 November. After a delay of 5 days, she sailed for Plymouth, England on 20 November, and after a voyage lasting 64 days, the Tunnellers disembarked on 2 December. Gerald and the other Tunneller reinforcements underwent a months training at Perham Downs before he embarked for France on 1 January 1917 on board S.S. Arundel.

Gerald was attached to the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion on 2 January 1917 and was attached to the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (1ATC) on 12 March 1917.

At that time, sections of 1ATC were engaged in maintaining the Hill 60 and Caterpillar mines and was also extending and the Larchwood and Hill 63 (Catacombs) tunnel system and dugouts, providing shelter and accommodation for the Allied units of the 2nd Army.

Gerald was taken on strength of 1ATC on 1 February 1918 and continued working with the unit until he was admitted to the 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital on 28 June 1918 with influenza.

Transferred by Ambulance Train 37 to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Rouen on 30 June, he was then transferred to the 2nd Convalescent Depot on 4 July and then to the 11th Convalescent Depot on 9 July.

Gerald was returned to the Australian General Base Depot on 27 August. On 8 September 1918 he was transferred to No.2 Com. Depot, Weymouth, England, classified ‘B3’ due to age and rheumatism.

He returned to Australia for discharge, leaving London on 19 October 1918 on board Sardinia and arriving at Fremantle on 16 December 1918.

Discharged 1 February 1919 in Western Australia medically unfit, Gerald was entitled to wear the British War Medal (13881) and the Victory Medal (13626)

In February 1924 his Military documents were forwarded to the Repatriation Commission, Perth.

Gerald Audley Babbington Beard died on 14 July 1924. A notice appeared in the “West Australian”(Perth) onThursdayJuly 17 1924:

He is buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia. His wife Mary was buried beside him some 31 years later.

In October 1924 a Circular (B.R.P.F. 44 (c).) was sent out to entitled ex-service men advising that their unclaimed medals were available at Base Records. It is believed that Gerald had been issued with his British War Medal and the Circular advising how his Victory Medal could be obtained was sent to 33 Cargill Street, Victoria Park on 8 October 1924. On 6 December 1924 the Circular was readdressed to 181 Hay Street, Subiaco.

Gerald Beard was the brother of Mabel Beard who married Charles Henry Leaver. The two men enlisted at the same place, at the same time, and embarked on the same ship for the European theatre. Although serving in different Tunnelling Companies, it is believed the two men kept in touch while on the Western Front.The diary of Charles Leaver has a reference to meeting up with “Boss” (refer to the West Australian article above).

“This had me at a loss until I found the entry in the West Australian Newspaper.

Further confirmation that the relationship was close is a letter to my grandmother from her son William Alfred (in the photo from Australia’s Fighting Son’s) dated 10th November 1917 (letter held at the Battye library in Perth) which reads..... ‘I rode over to where they told me Uncle Boss was camped the other day but did not find him...’” [Bill Leaver - Feb 2010]

Mabel's concern must have been great with 2 sons, a husband, a brother and a nephew all serving overseas.

One of Gerald’s sons was Killed in Action in World War 1.

2111 Private William Edward (Ted) Beard was just 18 years and 7 months when he enlisted on 12 April 1915 at Blackboy Hill, Western Australia with his father’s consent. A Bank Official by trade, he embarked from Fremantle on HMAT A2 Geelong on 6 June 1915 and after a short stay at Alexandria, embarked for the Dardenelles from 31 July 1915 with the 11th Infantry Battalion. After a short stay in hospital at Mudros with illness, William returned to the 11th Bn on the Dardenelles on 2 October 1915.

In February 1916 he was transferred to the 51st Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir and preceded to join the British Expeditionary Force in early June. Disembarking at Marseilles on 12 June, he was reported Missing in Action on 15 August 1916, and with no further reports by 23 April 1917, a Court of Inquiry official recorded that he had been Killed in Action on 15 August 1916.

Red Cross files record:

“This man was orderly for the O.C. of our Coy. at Mouquet Farm. He was killed on the morning of 14th Aug. 16. He and others were waiting in a shell hole till the enemy “Barrage” had ceased. A shell found them and killed most of them. I helped to dig them out, this man was alive when we got him, but he died soon after. An attack was being made at the time. Ground was lost then, but was regained and held on Sept. 3rd 16. Could not bury him as we had to get back quickly. He was only a little short lad 19 or 20. Fair, came from W.A.” Informant: QMS “C” Company, 51st Bn.

Having no known grave, Private William Edward Beard is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.