. 
A SUPERB ("GLORIOUS GLOUCESTERS") BATTLE of MAISSEMY
"SINGLE HANDED BATTLE CITATION"
DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL
& PAIR
To:
32099. Pte H.W. BEATLEY.
1st Btn & 14th Btn GLOUCESTERSHIRE Regt
( Previously 2356, H.W. BEATLEY. HEREFORD Regt )
With brother's WAR MEDAL
81059 Pte E.R.BEATLEY
(Killed in Action, 21.6.15 at VIMY with 10th CAN INF )
A magnificent and rare "Immediate" D.C.M. with a classic battle citation to a man in one of the British Army's most sought after regiments.
Henry William Beatley was born in Coddington near Hereford in 1897, one of nine children he had five sisters and three brothers. His father, Edward John BEATLEY was shown in the 1901 census as a Farmer. His Mother Elizabeth BEATLEY died in 1902 aged 42 ( probably in childbirth with her tenth child ).Later in 1911 Edward BEATLEY is shown as the self employed Inn Keeper of the Castle Inn, Hereford. Edward Reginald BEATLEY ,who's war medal we have, went farming in Canada. The eldest daughter Mary ( age 27 in 1911) is shown as 'house keeper' at her fathers inn. 'Harry' BEATLEY, as he was known, originally joined the Hereford Regiment before being initially transferred to the 14th (Bantam) "WEST of ENGLAND" Battalion of The Gloucestershire Regiment. The Gloucester Regt online records have him as serving in 14th Bn. His picture shown above shows him wearing an SD cap with the Hereford Regt badge. Severe losses in many actions during the Battle of The Somme etc had greatly reduced the strength of the various battalions of the Gloucester Regiment and in 1918 there was much amalgamation,merging and reorganisation of units and men in an attempt to form cohesive fighting formations. Clearly
Henry Beatley ended up with the 1st Gloucesters to which his DCM is named.
( Pair named to 2356, H.W. BEATLEY. HEREFORD Regt )
CITATION
( London Gazette. 16th January 1919 )
"FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND DEVOTION TO DUTY ON 16th SEPTEMBER 1918 SOUTH OF MAISSEMY IN BOMBING A SUNKEN ROAD AND DUGOUTS. HE SINGLE-HANDED RUSHED A HOSTILE MACHINE GUN TEAM, FORCED THEM TO SURRENDER, AND, HAVING CAPTURED THE GUN, TURNED IT ON THE FLEEING ENEMY. HE CONTINUED TO BEHAVE WITH THE GREATEST OF GALLANTRY UNTIL FINALLY WOUNDED IN THE HAND"
One of the finest citations you could wish for celebrating the extreme bravery of one very small young soldier.
THE VICIOUS ENGAGEMENT WHICH TOOK PLACE TO THE SOUTH OF MAISSEMY (WHICH IS NEAR ST QUENTIN), ON 15/16th SEPTEMBER 1918 SAW SOME OF THE MOST BITTER FIGHTING OF THE WAR WITH MANY THOUSANDS OF CASUALTIES BEING SUSTAINED EVERY DAY. It is a matter of record that the German Machine Gun teams had shot down many stretcher bearers and bearer parties on 15th/16th September during this action. Indeed, Lt G.E. BIRKETT R.A.M.C.(att 1/Gloucesters) also won a Military Cross on 16th September at Maissemy for constantly going out to rescue wounded men under withering machine gun fire. He was eventually wounded in the spine by a sniper. Lt BIRKETT is in fact listed for his MILITARY CROSS just five lines above and on the very same memorial scroll we have here as is Pte BEATLEY for his DCM and we feel that it is entirely possible that it was this very occurrence that actually spurred Pte BEATLEY onward to his great deed of gallantry on that bloody September day and led him to take out this particular machine gun nest in the way he did. Pte BEATLEY was just 21 years old at the time of his gallantry.
The group is unusually complete with much original paperwork including:
(a) A uniformed picture of Pte Beatley. ( colour copy with signature )
(b) Pte Beatley's original DCM citation hand signed by OC 1st Gloucesters.
(c) Army Orders Scroll ( Gen, Sir H.S.Rawlinson. CO Fourth Army. (With Beatley's name )
(d) OC's personal colour crested scroll of congratulation on award of the DCM.
(e) Brigadier General's hand signed colour scroll of thanks upon discharge. ( a lovely & rare item )
(f) Personal letter from his 'B' Coy C.O. wishing him well after his wound and enclosing his original DCM citation. ( from Captain P. Mallett OC 'B' Coy 1st Glos, B.E.F. 12.10.1918
[HISTORY]
The 14th (West of England) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment was raised at Bristol on the 22nd of April 1915, by the Citizens Recruiting Committee, as a Bantam Battalion, with troops who were under the normal regulation minimum height of 5 feet 3 inches. After initial training close to home, on the 23rd of June the Battalion was adopted by War Office they joined 105th Brigade, 35th Division at Masham, North Yorkshire. The Division moved to Salisbury Plain for final training in August. They were ordered to Egypt in late 1915, but the order was soon cancelled and they proceeded to France, landing at Le Havre on 30 January 1916, the division concentrated east of St Omer. They were in action during the Battles of the Somme at Bazentin Ridge, Arrow Head Copse, Maltz Horn Farm and Falfemont Farm. The division received new drafts of men to replace losses suffered on the Somme, but the CO. soon discovered that these new recruits were not of the same physical standard as the original Bantams, being men of small stature from the towns, rather than the miners and farm workers who had joined up in 1915. A medical inspection was carried out and 1439 men were transferred to the Labour Corps. Their places being taken by men transferred from the disbanded yeomanry regiments, who underwent a quick training course in infantry methods at a Divisional depot set up specifically for that purpose. In 1917 they were in action during The Pursuit to the Hindenburg Line, at Houthulst Forest and The Second Battle of Passchendaele. In early 1918 the army was reorganised and on the 11th of February were disbanded in France, with troops transferring to other units, including the 13th Gloucesters.
A TRULY EXCELLENT AWARD, NEW TO THE MARKET DIRECT FROM THE FAMILY.
ALL MEDALS EF+ ( Clearly never worn ) WITH ORIGINAL RIBBONS.
( NOTE: The family are currently seeking out the 1914-15 Star, Victory Medal and Memorial Plaque to EDWARD REGINALD BEATLEY 10th CAN INF the brother of Henry Beatley, who's single War Medal is currently with us, we are keeping our fingers crossed. ) (SOLD) (R.P)
A TRULY EXCELLENT AWARD, NEW TO THE MARKET DIRECT FROM THE FAMILY.
ALL MEDALS EF+ ( Clearly never worn ) WITH ORIGINAL RIBBONS. ( NOTE: The family are currently seeking out the 1914-15 Star, Victory Medal and Memorial Plaque to EDWARD REGINALD BEATLEY 10th CAN INF the brother of Henry Beatley, who's single War Medal is currently with us, we are keeping our fingers crossed. ) (SOLD) (R.P)
