stephen p nunn Posted 30 December , 2020 Share Posted 30 December , 2020 Afternoon all. Here is the second of my Christmas medals - a Victory Medal to Private Joseph John Septimus Beers of the 2nd KOYLI. This is what I know so far but have gaps around enlistment and active service: Joseph John Septimus BEERS Birth and Early Life Born in Newcastle-on-Tyne on 8/4/1891. The son of Simon Hubertus Beers (Dutch) and Elizabeth Beers (née Hughes). His mother died in 1901. In 1901 he was 9 and living at 64 Meldon Terrace, Heaton, with his widowed father and two brothers (Adrian, Aloysius). They also had a servant. In 1911 he was 19 and living at 18 Tenth Avenue, Heaton, with his widowed father and three brothers (Leo, Aloysius, Bernard). All of them were “Professors of Music” – Joseph was a violinist in a theatre orchestra). They also had a housekeeper. On 11/8/1914 two of his brothers (Leo and Aloysius) were arrested and charged under the Official Secrets Act for using a camera at the fortifications at Tynemouth. They appeared in court but were discharged. Enlistment Served as a Private (42875) in the 2nd King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. On Active Service Death Died 10/7/1917 (aged 26). ‘Joseph was killed in Flanders on the battlefield in 1917, found shell-shocked, sitting holding his hands over his ears, with fright on his face, dead’. Commemoration Buried at Coxyde Military Cemetery (I.D.10). Entitled to the medal pair. Any help gratefully received. Best regards. Stephen (Maldon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 30 December , 2020 Share Posted 30 December , 2020 54 minutes ago, stephen p nunn said: living at 18 Tenth Avenue, Heaton, with his widowed father All three pension records at WFA/Fold3 show his father [born 1845] still living at that address and claiming a dependant's pension - claim appears to have gone [DEAD] in 1931 - my suggestion is that Mr SH Beers had died. 57 minutes ago, stephen p nunn said: Entitled to the medal pair. 57 minutes ago, stephen p nunn said: On Active Service Death Died 10/7/1917 (aged 26). ‘Joseph was killed in Flanders on the battlefield in 1917, found shell-shocked, sitting holding his hands over his ears, with fright on his face, dead’. Commemoration Buried at Coxyde Military Cemetery (I.D.10). A medal pair suggests first overseas after 31/12/1915 2KOYLI War Diary Jan 1916-May 1919 is available for free download from TNA https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353779 - so may give you a bit of general background :-) M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Inspector Posted 30 December , 2020 Share Posted 30 December , 2020 (edited) Hi Stephen and all, Family tree here https://www.ancestry.co.uk/mediaui-viewer/tree/70804930/person/30267276476/media/660b1606-09e1-41ab-be82-5d29a658fa50 Photo of brother Leo...searching...typo on his date of death! Regards Barry Edited 30 December , 2020 by The Inspector Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toontraveller Posted 30 December , 2020 Share Posted 30 December , 2020 Good afternoon, I wondered if you had seen the extensive write up about the Beer family on the Heaton History Group web site? Entitled “The Musical Spies “ it covers a lot of information about the brothers and brings the Beers family history fairly up to date and still involved in Music , one Relative at Eton College. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 30 December , 2020 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2020 Many thanks for these leads everyone. I will follow them up now. Best wishes. Stephen (Maldon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 30 December , 2020 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2020 Looked at all of these leads - excellent. I got excited about the War Diary, but no real clues as to Joseph's death on the 10/7/17. I know Coxyde Cemetery well. Look forward to going there and paying my respects when (one day) we get back to some normality. Thank you again. Stephen (Maldon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 30 December , 2020 Admin Share Posted 30 December , 2020 KiA on the 10th July 1917 tells us he was killed during the opening phase of Operation Strandfest (Battle of the Dunes) in the Nieuport sector (Flanders Coast). 2/KOYLI were in support in the Lombartzyde sub-sector on the 10th July. The 2/KOYLI war diary is a very good read - quite descriptive in parts - recommended. 2/KOYLI casualties during July 1917 shown in the plot below - with 21 occurring on the 10th alone, including Beers. A search of the Forum will bring up quite a bit on the general subject. Regards Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 30 December , 2020 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2020 Brilliant work Russ. Thank you S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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