A Collection of Awards to Merchant Seamen and D.E.M.S. Gunners

Nine: Chief Engineer Officer G. T. Beed, Merchant Navy, a veteran of the famous Greif action of February 1916, who was posthumously mentioned in despatches for the Sicily landings in July 19431914-15 Star (Asst. Eng. G. T. Beed, R.N,R.); British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals 1914-18 (Eng. S. Lt. G. T. Beed, R.N.R); Victory Medal 1914-19 (Eng. S. Lt. G. T. Beed, R.N,R,), these with their original card boxes of issue; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf, good very fine and better (9) £250-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to Merchant Seamen and D.E.M.S. Gunners.

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George Templeton Beed, who was born in Liverpool in February 1888, was commissioned as an Engineer Sub. Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve in August 1915, in which same month he joined the armed merchant cruiser H.M.S. Andes. And he was similarly employed at the time of that ship’s action against the German raider Greif in February 1916, the same action that led to the loss of her consort, Alcantara. In fact, Beed remained in the Andes for the duration of the War, and returned to the Mercantile Marine in November 1918, when his R.N.R. commission was terminated.

With the renewal of hostilities, and by now a Chief Engineer Officer, Beed joined the R.F.A. tanker Ennerdale, which ship was converted to a landing ship for “Operation Husky” in July 1943, her gantries carrying eight landing craft and their crews. And of his subsequent fate on 13 July 1943, the following entry appears in the ship’s log:

‘This is to certify that Mr. G. T. Beed, Chief Engineer, whilst standing outside the port alleyway after port door of the midship accommodation during an air raid, was mortally wounded by fragmentation from a shell fired from one of the steamships, hitting and exploding on No. 8 port wing tank lid, a large piece of shrapnel passing through him. Medical assistance was obtained from H.M.S. Roberts almost immediately, but Mr. Beed died at 2005 hours and his body was landed to the Beach Casualty Station at Avola for burial.’

Beed was posthumously mentioned in despatches ‘for outstanding leadership and courage under heavy and sustained air attacks during the landings in Sicily’ (London Gazette 11 January 1944 refers).

Aged 55 years, and the husband of Rita Beed of Buckhaven, Fife, he was buried in Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily; sold with original Board of Trade communications regarding the recipient’s British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals, together with an extensive file of research.