Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Hubert, (known as Ron) was born in Adelaide on the 24th September 1920 and named after his father, Hubert Ernest. Hubert Snr had served in WWI as 4321 in the 1st Pioneers, sustaining a head injury in France in July ’16, which he survived but that resulted in him having a silver plate inserted in his head. He was also diagnosed with shell shock. On his return, he married Rosie Fuller in November 1919 with Ron being born the following year and a sister arriving later. Hubert Snr continued to be affected by his head injury.
Post school, Ron became an upholsterer with Charles Birks and Company, a trade that required meticulous attention to detail and planning – both qualities he would draw on with huge success later during WWII. From July ’40 Ron served in the Militia as S25661, briefly hinting at an issue with his ears. However, with the outbreak of WWII he enlisted a month before his 20th birthday. He was immediately allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion, and at the end of August had been awarded the rank of Lieutenant. By early November he was aboard the Stratheden, arriving in the Middle East on the 17th December. He began a Bren-gun course but was also affected by a series of middle ear infections that were to accompany him for the remainder of his service.
Ron was officially praised for his “consistent bravery and energy while in Tobruch. He was, on several occasions, outstandingly resourceful and daring in his leadership of patrols”. Incidents on the29th May, 12th of July and 3rd August were singled out for mention when he as firstly Mentioned in Despatches, then nominated for the Military Cross. Those with whom he served continued to marvel at the initiative Ron showed. In John Glenn’s book, Tobruk to Tarakan his actions were remembered. ‘For sheer audacity the patrol of Lieutenant Ron Beer would take some beating. The patrol moved five miles out from our wire through enemy lines to the road the Germans were using to by-pass Tobruk, and there they placed mines for vehicles. To add insult to injury, they used a captured enemy vehicle to do it.’ Ron later described how the car ran both wheels into an old slit trench, with the group having to leave two soldiers with the car and then proceeded with six. All were wearing sandshoes, not ideal for a long trek but good for silence as they planted mines about 1:45am, but with daylight fast approaching, the patrol was still far from the wire. They were spotted on their return but fortunately, carriers came and picked them up.
Mark Johnson in Derrick VC in His Own Words documented Derrick’s diary entries. On the12th July ’41 Derrick wrote: ‘A fighting patrol from S15 under Lieut Beer is going out tonight. Aim is to bring in a prisoner.’ Then on the13th July ‘41 he wrote “Result of fighting patrol, shot up a number of enemy and brought in one prisoner – took enemy completely by surprise -“Nice work Ronny” he enthused after a particularly successful patrol by Lieutenant Ron Beer.”
John Glenn also highlighted Ron’s audacity and skills describing how in July ’41 Ron Beer’s fighting patrol took on enemy forces in superior numbers, inflicted casualties and brought back an Italian prisoner, the first taken in the area and bringing the 2/48th’s total prisoners in Tobruk to an astonishing 1377. This day’s prisoner, from the 20th Regiment of the Brescia Division, proved garrulous and verified the Australin’s perception that Italians were occupying the posts forward of A and C Companies.
Glenn also recorded that ‘Both Lieutenant Beer and Corporal Weston, who took part in the two patrols, were outstanding patrollers. They moved about in No Man’s Land night after night, and did excellent work, whether on fighting patrols or reconnaissance patrol. This foray contributed to part of Ron’s nomination for the awarding of the Military Medal. For their work on these patrols and in later patrols, Beer was awarded the Military Cross and Weston received the Distinguished Conduct Medal.’
A further example was given in Ron’s citation, and which ‘Diver’ Derrick wrote in his diary, and John Glenn also mentioned in his book. 4th August ’41 Derrick under Lieutenant Beer – returned to Water Tower Waddi and 250 yards on, found two 2/28th men who had been lying wounded in No Man’s Land for 25 hours. The patrol lasted for some six hours, for much of which Beer went on alone to investigate. The two rescued men had sustained leg wound, one from a mine and the other from a shell burst. Both were successfully brough back.
By September ’41 Ron had completed further study at Weapons School, being praised for his ability to quickly internalise information and was strongly recommended as a unit instructor.
On the 19 April 1942 Derrick’s diary entry read; ‘Lieut Beer has been awarded the M.C. Brig Windyer the D.S.O. both well earned. Congrats to them.’
With news emerging that Ron had been awarded the Military Cross, his parents were interviewed by the Adelaide News in April ’42. Ron had made no mention of this prestigious award to them, so the article was brief, but accompanied by Ron’s photo and the information that “His parents have no knowledge of the circumstances in which he won the award. He left for overseas in November, 1940. Lieut. Beer was in Tobruk for about nine months, and he left there a week before his twenty-first birthday to attend an officers' school in Palestine. He was employed in the upholstery department- of Charles Birks & Co., Ltd., when he enlisted.”
Unfortunately, ongoing and worsening issues with the health of his ears, Ron was declared medically unfit for duty, returning from the Middle East in May ’42, eventually heading to Adelaide. In September that year he married Joan Moore in their local St Cuthbert’s Church, Prospect in an afternoon wedding. The first of their children, a daughter, arrived in April ’44.
Ron was officially discharged in February ’43 with a hearing problem. He was presented with his Military Cross at Government House, Adelaide on the 9th May ’45. In an embarrassingly poor omission, Ron’s medals and his Discharge Certificate were tardy in being forwarded to him, until he eventually wrote in May ’51 attempting to rectify this oversight.
In the ensuing years, Ron continued to serve his country in a variety of different roles including with the NSW Repatriation Department until his retirement from the Department of Health in October ’85.
Aged 91 Ron died on the 23rd August, 2012 at Shenley Manor, Camberwell, Victoria. Following a service in Le Pine Chapel, Camberwell, he was buried in the Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, Plot East Terrace 3 Garden 14. He was remembered as a ‘Loving father and father-in-law of Roslynne and Barry, Helen and Neil, John and Lynn, Cathrine and Ulrik. Much loved Pa of 13 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Larger than life. In God's care you rest. Loved and remembered always.’ Joan pre-deceased Ron and died on the 9th August, 1997.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.