John Beech Posted 3 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 September , 2014 Hi Chris Happy to help. One anomaly in the info, the SWB roll has him aged 23 when he was discharged, giving him a birth date around 1893, curious he appears to have added a couple of years to his age, particularly as he was already 18 Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Beech Posted 3 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 September , 2014 Hi Geoff Being trying to establish who the Private A Beech is in the photo next to Private William Beech (possibly)does the newspaper have any further details? Also still need to look for the Newcastle connection for Sapper John Beech! Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulsten Posted 4 September , 2014 Share Posted 4 September , 2014 Chris, i researched a Harry Fitchford, he was wounded 13/10/15 Loos, he was sent to Glasgow for treatment, even though he was from Stoke on Trent which had a war hospital so dont think that it was that unusual, Geoff Hi GeoffBeing trying to establish who the Private A Beech is in the photo next to Private William Beech (possibly)does the newspaper have any further details?Also still need to look for the Newcastle connection for Sapper John Beech!RegardsJohn John, will try to find the entry to him, however tried yesterday but the microfilm is pants, Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Beech Posted 4 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 September , 2014 Thanks Geoff Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Beech Posted 4 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 September , 2014 Hi Geoff Think I have got to the bottom of the names on St Paul's Church Newcastle War Memorial. Assuming H Beech is Harry Beech, because of his fathers connection with Newcastle, the J Beech is Captain John Beech, commanding "I" Sound Ranging Section, 4th Field Survey Company, RE who was killed 12th May 1918 and is buried in Gwalior Cemetery near Poperinghe, and another I have visited in the past, the last time in June. He was the son of John and Kate Beech of Newcastle but was married to Anna Beech and living in Cambridge which is probably why I didn't make the connection. Fortunately (Unfortunately?) there is only one other RE fatality named John Beech, so it was easy to identify the sapper in the photo. He was 486805 Sapper John Beech of 470th Field Company RE who died 12th December 1918 and who is buried at Ribecourt Road Cemetery, Trescault in France. His wife was actually Ellen Beech and according to the CWGC she lived at 58 Birks Street and not 68 as in the newspaper article. I have found him on the 1901 Census living with his parents Richard and Eliza Ann Beech at 224, Cauldron Road, Hanley and he was born in Hanley. Confirmation comes from he having a brother Richard, as mentioned in the article. John was 14 in 1901 so would be born around 1886/7. His occupation is listed as potters warehouse boy. On the 1911 census, he is now 24 and still living with his parents but now living at 126 Spencer Road, Shelton, Hanley, Stoke On Trent and is a warehouseman. He may be listed on Shelton War Memorial and this may be why he is not listed at Hanley. Still need to find Richard, there are 19 Richard Beeches with MIC but there is one in the South Staffs so will start with him. If you should come across any other Beeches, I would be grateful to hear about them Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anderston Posted 4 September , 2014 Share Posted 4 September , 2014 Hi John, William B.Beech in Walsall is definitely our man - I found that he had put an entry my grandmother's autograph book,and he signed it as follows: "Pte.WB Beech,7th S.Staffs,Darlaston,S.Staffs" (Darlaston is just outside Walsall,I believe). He doesn't look like a man in his early 20s in the photos,but given what he had come through it is not surprising.I have copies of the photos prepared - could you drop me off a note of your address,and I shall put them in the post tomorrow?Thanks. Geoff, You are right,it does seem to be quite common for soldiers from the South to be sent to Scotland for medical treatment.My grandmother's home was a tenement flat which backed onto the West of Scotland Domestic Science College in Glasgow,and when this building was completed in 1914,the Red Cross asked for its use as a Hospital - which under the name of Woodside Red Cross Hospital,it was till 1919.Given the vast variety of names in my grandmother's autograph book,and the many photographs she had,it seems was used for soldiers from all over the UK,and also for soldiers from Canada and New Zealand.I would assume that William B.Beech was sent here too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Beech Posted 4 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 September , 2014 Afternoon all For those following this thread, I thought you might like to see this article which appeared on the Birmingham Post website 1st August 2014, concerning Captain Edmund William Beech who is believed to be the first man from Birmingham to die on active service and is currently the first Beech known to have died. The article reads: 'He was killed in a mobilisation accident on August 11, 1914. Although E W Beech was a serving officer in the Royal Engineers when he was killed so tragically – trampled to death by a horse – he has no Commonwealth War Grave because he did not die on active service (NB not true more likely because commemorated on a family headstone). An extract from King Edward’s Old Edwardians’ Magazine, Nov 10, 1914 states: “On August 11th, Capt. E W Beech, of the First North Midland Field Company, Royal Engineers, having been called up for duty, was engaged in the collection of horses and vehicles for service with the army. A horse attached to a wagon bolted and in trying to stop it Captain Beech was dragged along the ground and then thrown under the wheels of the wagon, which passed over him. He sustained serious injuries to the head and body and died the same day. Capt. Beech was an accountant. He was also one of the best judges of dogs in the country, and for some years, from 1901, was secretary of the Birmingham Dog Show. He leaves a widow and three children”. Edmund William Beech lived at the White House, Tanworth in Arden, and is buried in Brandwood End Cemetery, Kings Heath'. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Beech Posted 4 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 September , 2014 Chris Many thanks I have sent you a PM with my home address Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulsten Posted 4 September , 2014 Share Posted 4 September , 2014 Some great research will check what other Beech's are listed in the Sentinel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Beech Posted 5 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 5 September , 2014 Thanks Geoff At present not my primary research area, that's 1st Batt. NF, but return to this everytime something comes to light or I have the time and am always on the lookout for additional information, so anything you find would be gratefully received Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulsten Posted 10 September , 2014 Share Posted 10 September , 2014 BEECH SGT A 14-Sep 1918 6 BEECH PTE A 16-Dec 1916 6 BEECH CAPT A 16-Nov 1918 4 BEECH PTE A 29-Sep 1917 6 BEECH PTE A 08-Jan 1916 4 BEECH SPR B 05-Oct 1918 6 BEECH L/CPL C 13-Apr 1918 6 BEECH L/CPL C 20-Apr 1918 6 BEECH PTE F 09-Dec 1916 6 BEECH L/CPL G 11-May 1918 6 BEECH DVR G 15-Apr 1916 6 BEECH L/CPL G 15-Jun 1918 6 BEECH L/CPL G 31-Aug 1918 6 BEECH L/CPL H 19-Jun 1915 6 BEECH QMS H 04-Mar 1916 4 BEECH S/MAJ J 11-Nov 1916 6 BEECH PTE J 22-Jun 1918 6 BEECH DVR J 22-Sep 1917 6 BEECH SPR J 05-Jan 1918 6 BEECH PTE L 13-Apr 1918 6 BEECH PIO L 20-Apr 1918 6 BEECH PTE L 29-Sep 1917 6 BEECH L/CPL N 22-Apr 1916 6 BEECH PTE R 05-Jan 1918 6 BEECH SPR S 08-Jan 1916 4 BEECH PTE W 19-Aug 1916 6 BEECH PTE W 08-Jan 1916 4 BEECH PTE 10-Apr 1915 6 This is alist of all the Beeches kisted as photos in the weekly sentinel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Beech Posted 10 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 10 September , 2014 Evening Geoff Thanks for this you've certainly given me some to work on! Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markr Posted 26 September , 2022 Share Posted 26 September , 2022 One would have thought that the 7th Staffs regimental museum might have some soldiers photos fro WW1 as the battles are well documented but photos seem to be rare. Or maybe, a family member could have donated photos to the regimented. Can any one help or advise please. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 26 September , 2022 Admin Share Posted 26 September , 2022 Photographs were expensive, and still not that commonly available at the time. I know that you are desperate to obtain a photograph of Bertie but unfortunately, you may just have to accept that one doesn’t exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markr Posted 26 September , 2022 Share Posted 26 September , 2022 Thank you so much for your kind reply. I will however, still keep looking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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