Private 17726 Alfred Beasley

Killed in Action on Saturday, 15th July 1916, age 19.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 7 B of Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

1st Bn., South Staffordshire Regiment. 91st Brigade of 7th Division.

Grandson of Mrs Sarah Powell, of 22 Old Cross Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Tipton, Resident: Unknown.

First landed Balkans, 11th September 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library, and St. Matthew's memorials.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/770538/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Alfred Beasley registered September quarter 1896 at Dudley. Mother's maiden name was Beasley (unmarried). Alfred was born 21st August 1896 to Clara Beasley at 45 Wood Street, Tipton - see 1901 Census.

In 1900, Clara Beasley (recorded as Beardsley) married Daniel Nicholls. At the 1901 census, Alfred was not living with his mother and step-father. This is because Alfred was raised by his grandparents Solomon and Sarah Beasley (later Sarah Powell), his Pension Card says 'grandmother, in loco parentis'.

1901 Census
45 Wood Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Solomon Beasley (47, Coal Miner – Hewer, born Tipton), his wife Sarah (42, born Tipton), and their 4 children: Jack (18, Coal Miner, born Tipton), Solomon (14, Coal Miner – Doors below, born Tipton), William (10, born Tipton), and Freddy (4, born Tipton). Freddy was Alfred, born 1896, and was the son of their daughter Clara, hence their grandson.

In 1904, Alfred's grandfather, Solomon Beasley died (registered Beadsley). In September quarter 1907, Sarah Beasley married John Powell, hence the name Sarah Powell on Alfred's Soldier's Effects and Pension.

1911 Census
5 Court, 2 House, Old Cross Street, Tipton, Staffs.
John Powell (47, Horse Driver (below), born West Bromwich), his wife Sarah (53, born Tipton), Fred Beasley (14, visitor (actually Sarah's grandson), born Tipton), and Sarah Nicholls (5, visitor (another grandchild), born Tipton).

Personal Data

Alfred was initially with the 7th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, and landed in Gallipoli on 11th September 1915. By this time, the 7th South Staffs had seen the worst of their time there, but it was still an unpleasant place to be. They were evacuated from the peninsula in December 1915. At some stage Alfred transferred to the 1st Battalion, South Staffs. It is not known when he transferred, but it was frequently after recovering from an injury away from their original unit.

After Alfred's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances of £0/17/7d (17 shillings and 7 pence) was paid to Mrs Sarah Powell, his grandmother and sole legatee. His grandmother, Sarah, also received his War Gratuity of £5/10/0d (5 pounds and 10 shillings) in October 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Alfred had enlisted in approximately March 1915.

Alfred's grandmother, Mrs Sarah Powell, was awarded a Dependant's Pension of 5/0d (5 shillings exactly) per week from 3rd April 1917. This increased to 8/5d (8 shillings and 5 pence) per week from 10th October 1921. A ‘Terminal Gratuity’ of £9/2/0d is shown, but it is not recorded when this was paid. Sarah’s address was 22 Old Cross Street, Tipton.

There was also a claim for a Dependant’s Pension from his mother Mrs Clara Payton of 25 Hall Street, Tipton (she had married Thomas Payton in 1912 after the death of her first husband Daniel Nicholls in 1911). This was refused and it is noted ‘ineligible S.G.C. decision’. The S.G.C. were the ‘Special Grants Committee’, this statutory body determined whether a pension was deserved as it was not a right, but in the gift of the sovereign. They often took a view on the 'morality' of the claimant, more frequently in the case of War Widows.

Action resulting in his death

The second phase of the Battle of the Somme commenced on 14th July 1916, with the 1st South Staffs as part of 6th Division, having High Wood as its objective.

From The History of the South Staffordshire Regiment by Colonel W. Vale
"On July 14th the 1st South Staffords dug in under heavy shellfire in a valley behind the British front line and that afternoon the 91st brigade had orders to attack High Wood. It moved up to the assembly area through persistent shelling, led by two Companies of the Battalion on the left, with the Queen's on their right. A mile across the fields lay the dark mass of the wood, hitherto undamaged, but almost as soon as the attack commenced, forward enemy troops were encountered in hollows and shell-holes and quickly killed or captured.
Accurate automatic fire from its left slowed down the Battalion and caused some loss, but the two units forced their way into the dense forest, darkness added to their difficulties. By midnight the Queen's had established themselves on the eastern edge of the wood and had dug in; the Staffords were however again held up, this time by a strong redoubt in the north-west corner and gallant efforts made by two platoons could not dislodge the enemy. During the early morning of the 15th, fierce counter-attacks forced back the Companies on the left before they could consolidate and the Queen's had to conform, so that by dawn the northern and western parts of the wood were firmly held by the Germans."

It would seem that Alfred was killed in the counter-attack of the morning of 15th July. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

Newspaper Cuttings

Birmingham Daily Post 25th August 1916
RANK AND FILE MIDLANDS MEN.
The following casualties amongst warrant officers, non-commisioned officers, and men are reported under various dates:
Missing.
South Staffordshire Regiment- Beasley, 17726, A., (Tipton).

Birmingham Daily Gazette 9th October 1916
CASUALTY LISTS.
The following casualties amongst warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and men are reported under various dates:
Previously reported Missing, now reported Killed.
S. STAFFORDS- Beasley, 17726, A., (Tipton).