Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lance Bombardier John (Jack) Edward Beasley VX744 2/2nd Field Regiment 2/AIF

Jack Beasley was born in Maribyrnong Victoria in September 1913, the son of Robert and Salome Beasley.  Robert, who was known as “Fred” had served in the AIF during the Great War as Private Robert Beasley 534, enlisting as a 43-year-old in 1916 serving in the 7th Battalion. Jack, who was a labourer on enlistment, was the fourth of six children born to the couple.

Jack enlisted in the 2/AIF in October 1939, hence his very low service number.  He trained at Seymour Victoria as a signaller before becoming a foundation member of the 2/2nd Field Regiment in the 6th Division. He embarked for the Middle East in April 1940. Jack served in North Africa, including in the capture of Tobruk, and in the disastrous campaigns in Greece and Crete, but was one of the men who were lucky enough to be evacuated from Crete before it capitulated. The 2/2nd embarked for Australia in March 1942.

With the entry of Japan into the war the 2/2nd was recalled to Australia, however Winsten Churchill controversially had the 6th Division diverted to Ceylon, against the wishes of the Australian Government.

Within days of arriving in Ceylon the members of the battalion were participating in an unarmed combat demonstration at Bussa in southern Ceylon. The sergeant in charge of the demonstration incorrectly assumed that a weapon being used as a training aid was not loaded, and during the “struggle” with a trainee the rifle discharged striking Jack in the right side of the chest killing him.

Jack Beasley was buried in the Dadalla Cemetery in Galle, post war his body was exhumed and reburied in the CWGC Plot in the Liveramenthu Cemetery in Colombo Sri Lanka.