18965
BEATON, Angus
| Service Numbers: | 3652, 3659 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 January 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 7th Field Ambulance |
| Born: | Dergholm, Victoria, 17 August 1890 |
| Home Town: | Mount Gambier, Mount Gambier, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Undiscovered, Oaklands Estate, SA, 30 January 1964, aged 73 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia General E, Path 8 Grave 597 |
| Memorials: | Mount Gambier Knight & Cleve Pictorial Honour Rolls, Yahl Memorial Hall Honour Board, Yahl WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 3652, 7th Field Ambulance | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 3652, 7th Field Ambulance, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 1 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3659, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Check disembarkation at ANZAC | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 3652, 7th Field Ambulance, "The Last Hundred Days", RSL Membership card exhibits a transcription error in relation to his svc number. | |
| 11 Dec 1919: | Honoured Military Medal, "The Last Hundred Days", Relates to April, September and October 1918 Commonwealth Gazette No. 135 11 Dec 1919 |
Military Medal
This NCO has driven a Horsed Ambulance Wagon during all the fighting of August, September and October 1918, on all occasions he has displayed the greatest bravery and devotion to duty. Repeatedly he has had to 'stand to' his horses under heavy shell-fire and often to drive his horse wagon through a barrage. By skilful and careful driving he has brought his patients through safely and then returned again and again for fresh cases.
Previous to this, on April 9th 1918, while at GENTELLES, the village was heavily shelled and a number of casualties occurred. The dressing station was also being shelled. L/Cpl BEATON continued to work backwards and forwards through heavy shell-fire until all the cases had been evacuated. He was wounded, but remained on duty.
Submitted 7 February 2016 by Faithe Jones
Biography
Son of Eliza and Roderick BEATON
Husband of Doris M BEATON
Biography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Angus Beaton was born in Dergholm, Victoria, on 17th August 1890. Before Angus enlisted to fight in the Australian Infantry Forces on 25 January 1915, he was a labourer. He enlisted to join the war at the age of 24. Angus was married to Doris Mary Beaton and was the son of Eliza and Roderick Beaton.
Angus didn’t enlist for the war alone; his two-year-older cousin Neil Beaton, a trooper, also joined the Australian Infantry Force to fight for his country.
Angus appearance was described as having grey eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion.
Angus Beaton was a crucial part of Infantry Brigade 7, Field Ambulance 7, Section 8. This particular unit was for all ambulance officers. His service numbers were 3652, 3659.
Angus then embarked from Australia as part of the nursing/house staff on he HMAT Geelong from Adelaide to Sydney. His unit departed from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT Clan Mcewan on 28 June 1915.
Angus trained in Egypt and fought in Gallipoli from 25 April 1915 to 18 December 1915. He was then deployed to France on 16 April 1916, where he became a Lance Corporal. During his time in France, Angus was wounded in action 9th April 1918 but remained on duty.
Angus was awarded a bravery award on 9 April 1918. He demonstrated courage and fearlessness by continuing to drive through heavy shell fire, safely returning, and remaining on duty even though he was wounded. However, there was some artillery shelling at 5:15 pm which could have affected or possibly hit Beaton. In addition, Angus was controlling horses that were attached to a wagon during the shell fire.
While at Gentelles, Lance Corporal Beaton showed remarkable behaviour. Despite the village being under constant shelling and being wounded himself, Angus managed to evacuate all casualties from the dressing station to a safer location.
Once Angus was discharged from the Australian Infantry Forces on 20 August 1919. Angus died in Oaklands Estate, SA, and was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia, on 30 January 1964, at the age of 73. The location of Angus Beaton's final resting place is, General E, Path 8 Grave 597.
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