The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection

A fine Great War O.B.E., 1915 operations M.C. group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel R. W. Beacham, Northamptonshire Regiment, late Coldstream Guards and West Yorkshire Regiment, who was severely wounded on the Somme and six times mentioned in despatches: he rose from R.S.M. in the 1/West Yorkshires in 1914 to Acting Lieutenant-Colonel and Camp Commandant by the War’s end

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914 Star, with (copy) clasp (9781 R.S. Mjr. R. W. Beacham, 1/W. York. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major R. W. Beacham), generally good very fine (5)
£1800-2200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1919.

M.C. London Gazette 29 October 1915:

‘For conspicuous gallantry on the night of 28 September 1915, at Fricourt. After explosion of the enemy’s mines he went out on his own initiative and investigated the newly formed craters, coming under fire at close range. He then returned, organised a working party, pegged out a new line and completed a new trench under fire. His gallant example gave confidence to the working party, and the new trench now forms an important addition to the defences of this section.’

Robert William Beacham originally enlisted in the Coldstream Guards in February 1898, gaining advancement to Corporal in July 1901 and to Sergeant in March 1902, and was serving as a Drill Sergeant in the 3rd Battalion at the time of his transferral to the West Yorkshire Regiment in September 1912, when he was appointed Regimental Sergeant-Major in the 1st Battalion. And it was in the same capacity that he was embarked for France in early September 1914, where he was actively employed until returning home for an Officer’s Training Course in April 1915 - the Battalion suffered heavy casualties on the Aisne in 1914, when its trenches ‘were full of dead and it was impossible to dig without uncovering bodies.’

Subsequently transferring to the 6th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, as Adjutant, in June 1915, he went back out to France in the same month, won his M.C. for the above cited deeds at Fricourt that September, but was severely wounded by a shell fragment on the Somme on 8 March 1916, when he sustained a compound fracture of his right femur, and was evacuated to the U.K.

Appointments as an Adjutant and Chief Instructor at a Corps Infantry School having followed, Beacham again witnessed active service out in France, as an Acting Major, from June until December 1917, in which latter month he was posted to the Italian theatre of war, where he served until March 1918.

Latterly appointed to the temporary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, he served as a Camp Commandant in XI Corps, and by the War’s end had amassed no less than six “mentions” (London Gazettes 22 June and 29 October 1915, 1 January and 15 June 1916, and 30 May and 28 December 1918 refer). Beacham was placed on the Reserve of Officers in January 1922 and died at Bridgwater, Somerset in February 1964; sold with copied photographs and hand written service details.