Richard Bee

Richard Bee

Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1872
Place of Birth	Longridge, Lancashire, England
Death	17 Oct 1950, aged 78
Place of Death	Keysbrook, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	43 years, 9 months
Description	5'6" (1. m) tall ; 153 lbs 69.4 kg ; fresh complexion ; brown eyes ; brown hair hair
Occupation	Farmer & bootmaker
Religion	Church of England
Address	Longridge farm, Keysbrook, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Bessie Bee
Military Information
Reg Number	3080
Date of Enlistment	15 May 1916 - 28 Oct 1916 "15 May 1916 - 28 Oct 1916" contains more than three components required for a date interpretation.
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	5th Pioneer Battalion, 7th Reinforcement
Fate	Did not leave Australia
Medals	not eligible

Pre War

On the 1916 Electoral Roll with wife Bessie at Keysbrook, farming. Bessie died 19 Oct 1950, five days after Richard.

War Service

Soon after entering Belmont camp he is allocated to the 22nd reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion, but after 19 weeks he was transferred back to a holding Depot Company. (did this prompt his AWOL period from 7am 21 Aug to 11pm 21 Aug 1916?). Forfeits one day's pay.

A week later he is transferred to the 6th reinforcement draft for the 44th Battalion, and after a further 11 days to the 7th reinforcement draft for the 5th Pioneer Battalion (25 Sep 1916).

Discharged at own request on payment for uniform 28 Oct 1916 after it was discovered he was over 45 years of age. He was charged under Section 33 of the Army Act with having on 14 Apr 1916 made a wilfully false answer to a question set forth in the attestation paper, namely declaring his age to be 43 years, 9 months, when it was really over 45. His punishment was to be dismissed.

Post War

In 1922 Thomas has joined Richard and Bessie - a farmer; 1925 Leslie Hawthorne joins them as a farm hand; 1936 - 1949 Thomas an orchardist.