Frank (Deary) BEER

BEER, Frank

Service Number: 512
Enlisted: 19 August 1914, Blackboy Hill, Western Australia
Last Rank: Lance Corporal
Last Unit: 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1)
Born: Carlton, Victoria, 2 April 1895
Home Town: Bunbury, Bunbury, Western Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Died of wounds, Pozières, France, 2 September 1916, aged 21 years
Cemetery: Puchevillers British Cemetery, France
Puchevillers British Cemetery, Puchevillers, Picardie, France, Etaples Military Cemetery, Etaples, Nord Pas de Calais, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Bunbury Roll of Honour, Bunbury War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

19 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Blackboy Hill, Western Australia
2 Nov 1914: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 512, 11th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1,

--- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: ''

2 Nov 1914: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 512, 11th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Fremantle
25 Apr 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 512, 11th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli
28 Jul 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 512, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1)
2 Sep 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 512, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1), Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 512 awm_unit: 51 Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1916-09-02

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Biography

"LANCE-CORPORAL FRANK ("DEARY") BEER.  

Son of Mr. and Mrs Robt. Beer, of Cornwall-street. The following telegram was received in Bunbury last Saturday by Archdeacon Smyth:

"Please inform Mr R. Beer, of Cornwall-street, Bunbury, that No. 512 Lance Corporal F. (Dearey) Beer died of wounds at the 44th Casualty Clearing Station on 2nd September, and convey Defence Department's sympathy.— Military Government."

The following is the last letter from Pte. Beer, received on August 3rd, 1916.

— Dear Mum and Dad,— Just a line to let you know I received a letter from dad dated June 18th, very quick to come from Australia — a little over a month. I think we will be go- ing into the firing line any day now, We will be in and out and ready to go in again by the time you receive this letter, so it is the last chance I will have of writing to you for some time. I don't think we will be in for more than a week at a time, but we will be where all the heavy fighting is. I think they call it in England "the Big Push," and the Australians are well in it. The Third Brigade passed us the other day coming out of the firing line. Our old 11th got a very hard smack. I saw old Bill Plunkett, young Rose, Ray Clarke, his brother Dick was wounded, and Geo. Lamington's brother was killed. I have not seen Tiny Brown or Tommy Donaldson or young Wenn; there was a lot of them slightly wounded. I saw Father Fahey; he is still all right, and Charlie Bernard also. I have not heard of Willie. When you write let me know where he is and how he is getting on. I think he is still in England. Send him my address and tell him to write. I can get a letter from him in a few days. There is not much to tell you about this place, it is a beautiful country and well worth fighting for, but the men are tired of the marching. We are marched all over the country; it is not so bad now, but when we landed here first the hard roads were cruel; all the men suffered with sore feet; after the sand in Egypt it was too dreadful. We have a fine old priest with us; just like Father Fahey, and just as popular. I have been to confession and communion this morning, and I am prepared to go at any time, but I think I will get through alright. I hope and trust in God. I guess this will be one of the hardest scraps to go through. You keep cheerful yourselves. Somebody has to do this job, and I think the Germans are getting all they want. Remember me to Mrs Veale, Ernie Stokes, Sammy Stevens. Barlee Smith, and all Bunbury friends. I will now say good-bye with love to all at home." - from the Bunbury Southern Times 28 Sep 1916 (nla.gov.au)

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