BEATON, Robert John
| Service Numbers: | 3241, 3241A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 August 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, 11 August 1886 |
| Home Town: | Mile End, City of West Torrens, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, 5th Casualty Clearing Station, France, 2 July 1918, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-sur-Somme Plot 3 Row C Grave 24 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3241, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3241, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3241, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Adelaide | |
| 2 Apr 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 26 Sep 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3241, 50th Infantry Battalion, Polygon Wood | |
| 30 Jun 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3241A, 50th Infantry Battalion, Merris (France), Shell wound (back) | |
| 2 Jul 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3241A, 50th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3241A awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-07-02 |
Awarded the Military Medal
During the recent operations near ZONNEBEKE on September 26 1917 Private BEATON showed conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while engaged on a Forward Ammunition Dump. After 2 NCO's became casualties, he took charge and continued working the Dump under continuous and heavy shell fire thereby assisting in the maintenance of supplies.
Submitted 7 February 2016 by Faithe Jones
Biography contributed by John Edwards
Husband of Rose Eva BEATON
"...3241 Private Robert John Beaton, 50th Battalion from Mile End, South Australia. A 29 year old labourer prior to enlisting on 16 August 1915, he embarked for overseas with the 11th Reinforcements of the 10th Battalion from Adelaide on 27 October 1915 aboard HMAT Benalla. Following further training in Egypt, he transferred to the 50th Battalion and went with them to France in June 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty during operations at Zonnebeke, Belgium on 26 September 1917. Pte Beaton was wounded in action near Daours, France on 30 June 1918 and evacuated for medical treatment to Crouy where he died from his wounds on 2 July 1918. He is buried in the Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-Sur-Somme, France." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
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