Richard Beattie

Richard Beattie

Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1869
Place of Birth	Liverpool, England
Death	24 Nov 1957, aged 88
Place of Death	North Perth, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	48 years, 2 months
Description	5' 9" (1.75m) tall ; 115 lbs 52.163 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; dark hair ; little finger on right hand missing
Occupation	Loco driver / brickmaker
Religion	Church of England
Address	William street, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Annie Beattie
Military Information
Reg Number	5990
Date of Enlistment	27 Mar 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 19th Reinforcement
Date of Embarkation	9 Aug 1916 ‒ 24 Sep 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A28 Miltiades
Date of Return	23 May 1917 ‒ 9 Jul 1917
Ship Returned On	HMAT A33 Ayrshire
Fate	Returned to Australia (Health)
Monument	Armadale War Memorial (Armadale panel) Armadale Congregational Church Honour Board Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

While local records spelt his surname Beatty, all Military Records and his signature are Beattie.

War Service

At the time of his enlistment Richard was unemployed, and he gave his age as 38 years and 2 months, and married. However, he was 10 years older (48) than declared - He had put his age down in order to enlist. Initially placed with the 57th Depot Company a fortnight later he was allocated to the 19th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion, travelling with them to England aboard HMAT A28 Miltiades, disembarking on 24 Sep 1916.

Following a period with the 3rd Training Battalion at Perham Downs, Richard went to France on 4 Dec 1916 aboard the HMT Princess Victoria from Folkestone and joined the 11th Battalion on 26 Dec 1916. He was employed on working parties at Mametz camp before becoming ill and entering hospital on 11 Jan 1917. Evacuated to England on HMHS Grantully Castle on the 24th Jan 1917, and admitted to Couthwaite Military Hospital in Southwark with Trench Fever. Granted furlough from 23 Mar - 7 Apr 1917.

Returning from leave he was transferred to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs where he went before a Medical Board, and on 10 Apr 1917 he was sent to the No 2 Command Depot in Weymouth before being invalided home on 23 May 1917.

Following assessment at the 8th Australian General Hospital in Fremantle from 9 - 12 Jul 1917, he was discharged as unfit (overage and rheumatism in left arm) by the 5th Military District on 28 Jul 1917.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries include: 1910 labourer in Yarloop with wife Annie; 1916 he is at Beris near Mt Margaret; the 1916 Post Office Directory has him in Armadale at the Pottery works; 1925 entry has them at 545 Fitzgerald street, Balcatta with his occupation still 'soldier', ditto 1937 & 1943 - probably a pensioner as was 65 in 1934.

Notes

"R Beattie is declared fit for service."

"Enlisted 27th March, 1916, 19th Reinforcements of the 11th (now 51st) Battalion; sailed 9th August. Camped for some time at Salisbury Plains; now gone to the front."

Some records (e.g. AIF Website) show him as wining the Military Cross. However this is incorrect - Ebenezer Beattie (18th Battalion) and Robert Beattie (Lt in 11th Battalion) were the only winners with this surname. Confusion is with Robert.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial