2nd Lieutenant Ernest Frederick Beal VC

On 21-22 Mar 1918 at St Leger in France, 2nd Lieutenant Ernest Beal was in command of D company detailed to occupy a certain section of trench. When the company was established it was found necessary to clear a gap of about 400 yards held by the Germans between the left flank of the company and the neighbouring unit. Beal organised a small party and led them along the trench, capturing four machine-guns and inflicting heavy casualties. Later in the evening he brought in on his back a wounded man who was lying close to an enemy machine-gun. The following morning, on 22 Mar 1918, 2nd Lt Beal was killed by a shell, although one account claims that he died of wounds inflicted while saving the wounded man.
Ernest Frederick Beal was born on 27 Jan 1885, in Brighton on the south coast of England, the eldest son of John James William Beal, and mother Jane, who lived at 55 East Street, Brighton. He was educated at Brighton Grammar School and then worked in his father’s stationery shop, living at 148 Lewes Road, Brighton. On 22 Sep 1914 he enlisted as a trooper in the Sussex Yeomanry. He reached the rank of sergeant and served in the Balkans with the Yeomanry. In Dec 1916 he was transferred to the Royal Sussex Regiment on the Western Front. He was recommended for a commission and transferred to the 13th (Service) Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment. He was a Temporary Second Lieutenant at the time of his death. He has no known grave but his name is inscribed on the Arras Memorial, Pas-de-Calais. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, gazetted on 4 June 1918. It was presented to his parents by King George V at Buckingham Place on 3 July 1918. His medals can be seen at the Green Howards museum at Richmond.

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