Hon. Lieut. Quarter-Master William Beck DCM 1st KRRC

[medalmaniac]

For some time, I’ve been fortunate to have in my collection the medal group to Lieut.Quarter Master William Beck DCM (EDVII) M.i.d. 1^st Battalion, KRRC who had a long and distinguished career and who in April 1918 was buried at Scholmoor Cemetery, Bradford, England, aged 45.

I assume? that he was on active service, Western Front, having landed with 1/KRRC as Sgt. Major in August 1914 and was Mention in Despatches in both 1916 and Dec. 1917. BUT I’ve never been able to determine the actual circumstances of his death – was he wounded in action and succumbed to his wounds at home or did he just die of natural causes whilst  serving in UK or whilst on leave??

            So I was wondering if any of the many learned KRRC aficionados could throw a little light on the matter please.

 

His medal group comprises

Distinguished Conduct Medal EDVII  L/Sergt. 1/KRRC

India General Service Medal 1895 clasp Relief of Chitral 1895

Queens South Africa Medal clasps Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Laings Nek, Belfast

Kings South Africa Medal clasps SA 1901, SA 1902

1914 Star and Bar Sgt. Major

British War Medal 1914-20

Victory Medal 1914-18

Coronation Medal 1911

Long Service Good Conduct Medal EDVII

 

Wounded in action 20^th October 1899 – Talana

Wounded in action 6^th January 1900 – Battle of Wagon Hill, Ladysmith

Died 18^th April 1918

 

DCM London Gazette  27^th September 1901 – Defence of Ladysmith (Wagon Hill)

 

WWI

Landed in France 13^th August 1914

Commissioned 16^th July 1917

Mentioned in Despatches - London Gazette 15^th June 1916

Mentioned in Despatches - London Gazette 21^st December 1917

[HarryBrook]

His probate record records the place of his death as Worsley Hall Red Cross Hospital, near Manchester.

His home address was given as 10, Arnold Street, Lincoln Road, Bradford.

[DavidOwen]

His service file is at TNA, needs a visit or pay a researcher

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1124349

[Alan24]

Soldier's Effects doesn't add anything other than to suggest his death as as 19th not 18th April.

 

Regards

 

Alan.

[Old Owl]

I would suggest that he died from natural causes ie some illness contracted whilst on active service.

 

A great long service grouping to a career soldier--he would also have been MID for the Boer War because all DCM winners were MID during the Boer War--this practice did not continue however for WW1.

 

Have you tried looking at the local newspapers in the Local History section of Bradford Central Library?  Infact they have an index with copies of obituaries for most Bradford men and also a roll of honour which give useful info on most Bradford men who served during WW1--so if you are lucky it may be a fairly easy task. 

 

Otherwise, as has already been stated, it would be well worth obtaining a copy of his WW1 Officers service papers from the PRO at Kew.  If all else fails a copy of his death certificate should show his cause of death--but this may cost a few £s to obtain.

 

Well worth some chasing.

 

Good luck,

 

Robert

[MBrockway]

Initial results:

• The only QM listed serving with 1/KRRC during 1918 is Lt. F. Peacock.
• There is no obituary for Lt Beck in the 1918 KRRC Chronicle.
• Lt Beck is not listed under 1/KRRC for 1918, nor is he listed in the 1918 Officers Casualty List.

I'll continue looking.

 

Mark

[MBrockway]

Continuing ...

• The only QM listed in the 1917 KRRC Chronicle as serving with 1/KRRC during 1917 is Lt. W. Beck
• Beck's MID is listed with LG 21 Dec 1917
• Beck is not in the 1917 Officer Casualty List for 1/KRRC

 

Edited 8 January , 2019 by MBrockway

[Dragoon]

September Army List, he's down as QM for 1st BN, don't know if this helps at all.

 

Chris

[MBrockway]

September in which year?

 

[Dragoon]

Sorry, 1917

[Dragoon]

And also April 1918

Note the commission date is 1915 not 1917.

 

Chris

[MBrockway]

Continuing backwards through the KRRC Chronicles ...

• The only QMs listed in the 1916 KRRC Chronicle as serving with 1/KRRC between May 1915 & Oct 1916 are Lt A. Harman and Lt. W. Beck
• Arthur Harman was another KRRC Old Sweat enlisting in 1883.  Harman became QM of 1/KRRC in 1909 & went out with the bn as QM in 1914
• Harman was hit by artillery shrapnel on 25 Jun 1915 and died of wounds on 26 Jun 1915
• Beck is listed as joining 1/KRRC on 06 Aug 1915 [Edit: as QM, he was already a WO I in the battalion]
• I cannot see a third QM covering the period Jun 1915 to Aug 1915
• Beck is listed as being invalided out of 1/KRRC on 19 Aug 1916
• In Jun 1916, Beck appears on a Nominal Roll of Officers as QM and Honorary Lt
• Beck's MID is listed with LG 15 Jun 1916.  Beck is listed as QM and Hon Lt. under 1/KRRC
• Beck is not in the 1916 Officer Casualty List for 1/KRRC suggesting he was probably invalided due to sickness

 

 

Edited 9 January , 2019 by MBrockway

[MBrockway]

38 minutes ago, Dragoon said:

 

Note the commission date is 1915 not 1917.

 

Chris

 

Quite correct Chris ....

 

Quarter-Masters section of 1917 Q4 Quarterly Army List ...

 

He was appointed QM and Honorary Lt on 17 Jul 1915 not 1917.  I've updated my earlier posts accordingly.

 

Mark

 

[MBrockway]

May 1915 Monthly Army List confirms Beck was appointed Warrant Officer in 1/KRRC on 13 Mar 1910.

[medalmaniac]

Great response re Lt QM Beck DCM gentlemen – one or two holes filled in and his Commission date amended/confirmed. Still looking for a definitive on his death but looks increasingly like natural causes following Harry Brook’s info.

Good call Robert (Old Owl) I’ve contacted Bradford WW1 Roll Of Honour Research Group who are getting back to me later – might even find an obituary.

Thanks to all

PS I have a nice portrait of him at the time of Talana but someone will have to give me a blow by blow as to how I can plonk it into the Forum

 

Les

[MBrockway]

Les has asked me to upload these photos of Beck and his medal group on his behalf ...

 

As Serjeant, 1/KRRC during the Second Boer War ....

 

Medal Group ...

from Les's original post at the top ...

Quote

Distinguished Conduct Medal EDVII  L/Sergt. 1/KRRC

India General Service Medal 1895 clasp Relief of Chitral 1895

Queens South Africa Medal clasps Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Laings Nek, Belfast

Kings South Africa Medal clasps SA 1901, SA 1902

1914 Star and Bar Sgt. Major

British War Medal 1914-20

Victory Medal 1914-18

Coronation Medal 1911

Long Service Good Conduct Medal EDVII

 

Still investigating his death, but it does indeed seem to be due to medical complications from wounds.  More on this to follow later in the week.

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

Edited 10 January , 2019 by MBrockway

[medalmaniac]

Great stuff Mark – nothing like a portrait to bring a character to life. As with all ‘my men’, my most urgent priority has always been to try and find an image of the individual, even extracting a grainy likeness from a newspaper cutting or a group photograph.

As a generality to all Forum members (particularly KRRC and Rifle Bde enthusiasts), I would explain that I have in the past been a reasonably successful medal collector but a very poor researcher . However, I’ve now unfortunately hit a bit of a brick wall in that the sight has all but gone, leaving me reliant on a specially adapted computer and a brilliant magnifying machine called ‘Merlin’(my life saver) and of course, my lovely wife.

Anyway, putting to one side David Owen’s rather banal comment re PRO or paying researchers (both of whom have had considerable sums of my money) which in Beck’s instance would be fruitless in that his papers would NOT give me the circumstances of his cause of death, which I very politely asked for.

Can I therefore attentively suggest that as a bit of an exercise, I post, over a period, details of some 120 R.B. and KRRC officers casualties, from gallantry groups to single medals, with a view to me picking up a few additional details, as with Beck and Forum members getting to mull over a few little known casualties.

Can’t imagine Mr Owen will be impressed but food for thought!

 

Les

[DavidOwen]

I'm sorry I disappointed you. I shall not do so in future.

[Muerrisch]

45 minutes ago, medalmaniac said:

Great stuff Mark – nothing like a portrait to bring a character to life. As with all ‘my men’, my most urgent priority has always been to try and find an image of the individual, even extracting a grainy likeness from a newspaper cutting or a group photograph.

As a generality to all Forum members (particularly KRRC and Rifle Bde enthusiasts), I would explain that I have in the past been a reasonably successful medal collector but a very poor researcher . However, I’ve now unfortunately hit a bit of a brick wall in that the sight has all but gone, leaving me reliant on a specially adapted computer and a brilliant magnifying machine called ‘Merlin’(my life saver) and of course, my lovely wife.

Anyway, putting to one side David Owen’s rather banal comment re PRO or paying researchers (both of whom have had considerable sums of my money) which in Beck’s instance would be fruitless in that his papers would NOT give me the circumstances of his cause of death, which I very politely asked for.

Can I therefore attentively suggest that as a bit of an exercise, I post, over a period, details of some 120 R.B. and KRRC officers casualties, from gallantry groups to single medals, with a view to me picking up a few additional details, as with Beck and Forum members getting to mull over a few little known casualties.

Can’t imagine Mr Owen will be impressed but food for thought!

 

Les

 

And I am not impressed either. "Banal" counts as rudeness.

 

[MBrockway]

Les,

I took David's suggestions as standard constructive advice.  I don't think he was being patronising.

 

Have you already got William Beck's TNA officer file then?

 

As regards you posting some details of your KRRC and RB groups - YES PLEASE!

 

IIRC, you have had the honour to have had both the Woodroffe and the Drake VCs pass through your collection?

 

Mark

 

[MBrockway]

1/KRRC war diary ...

 

5th Aug 1915

VENDIN

..

Lieut and Qr Master W. BECK joined the Battalion on promotion.

[Muerrisch]

I believe the formal and conventional way to prefix a QM's name is "Quartermaster and Honorary Lieutenant" [never 2Lt] or .... Captain or ...... Major.

There was provision for eventual Hon. promotion to Lt-Col, rather unusual.

That said, it happens fairly often in the Foot Guards these days.

 

There were inevitably some curiosities in this area. For example the well-known Joe Cottrill , friend of Sassoon and subject of a poem,[ many different spellings] 1st RWF 1914 was the RQMS as war began, was promoted to combatant 2nd Lt early in October, was the last officer standing after 1st Ypres and was appointed QM in the reconstituted battalion. He was promoted in the normal war-time manner and was at one time acting as a company commander. Some accounts have him as "QM and Lt" but this was not so.

[MBrockway]

Hanson, the 1/KRRC QM at the outbreak of the war, was promoted Honorary Captain during his tenure.

 

The Army Lists all follow David's convention, but I have transcribed the reference to Beck joining as QM from the war diary verbatim.

 

Mark

 

[medalmaniac]

Had a great response from Bradford Research Group including a photograph of Lieut. Q/M Beck’s (civilian) headstone and grave. No obituary unfortunately but a very reasonable hypothesis in that it could have been very likely that Beck died of Influenza, as apparently many convalescing servicemen did at that particular time.

 

In answer to your questions Mark

1. No, I don’t have Beck’s Service Record
2. Yes it was my privilege and inestimable pleasure in having Sidney Woodroffe’s VC group, together with the MC group to his eldest brother Leslie and his elder brother Kenneth’s MID group, both R.B. and both also killed in action, in my care for a number of years.
3. Likewise, it was my privilege to have in my collection, the VC group to the indomitable young docker Alfred Drake.

Both VC groups came directly from their respective families.

 

Having said that, I have very recently become aware of some very disquieting information conceningg all the above groups since their passing into Mr Ashcroft’s  cavernous Valhalla, where he receives the souls of slain heroes.

 

Leslie

 

 

[MBrockway]

10 hours ago, medalmaniac said:

Had a great response from Bradford Research Group including a photograph of Lieut. Q/M Beck’s (civilian) headstone and grave. No obituary unfortunately but a very reasonable hypothesis in that it could have been very likely that Beck died of Influenza, as apparently many convalescing servicemen did at that particular time.

 

 

I now have Beck's officer file.  He did not die of influenza.  Cause of death was nephritis and uraemia with medical opinion advising his medical issues dated back at least as far as April 1916.

 

It also looks like there is a strong possibility Beck was a survivor from the Warren Hastings.