Name
Gerald William Beachcroft
28 Oct 1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 12.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Bengeo School Memorial – Location TBC, Rugby School - Chapel Rugby Warwickshire, Corpus Christi College WW1 Oxford, Oxon., Oxford University Roll of Service 1914-1916 Dulwich College WW1 And WW2 - Cross Dulwich Greater London
Pre War
Gerald William Beachcroft was born on 28th October 1880 and baptised on 4th December, in Upper Norwood, Surrey, to parents Francis Porten Beachcroft and Laura Emily (nee Bayly).
The 1891 census shows him, aged 10, attending Bengeo school at Danesbury, Warren Park Estate, Bengeo, Herts. In 1901 he was living in Crescent Wood Road, Camberwell, with his parents and two sisters Eva Laura and Elsie Mary. His father was listed as Retired, Bengal Civil Service and Gerald was a scholar at Corpus Christi College, Oxford aged 20, he attended there until 1903, gaining a Degree. He also studied in France and Germany and went on to become an Assistant Master at Dulwich College, the electoral roll shows him living in Sydenham House, College Road, Dulwich in 1909 and 1912.
Wartime Service
He was commissioned from Officers Training Corps as Second Lieutenant, 3rd Bn. Royal Lancaster Regiment on 29th May 1915.
His Battalion, 7th, which was part of Kitchener’s Second New Army, left for France in July 1915. Their first action was a diversionary attack in support of the battle of Loos. In 1916 they were in action on the Somme at La Boisselle, Pozieres and The Ancre.
After being transferred to the Ypres salient near the village of Oostaverne, they took part in the Third Battle of Ypres. Gerald’s battalion attacked at 3.50am on a front of almost 700 yards capturing their objectives quite quickly with few casualties and taking a number of prisoners. As the battle wore on however, the fighting became more intense and casualties grew. Gerald was one of only two officers killed in the battalion, aged 36.
At the time of his death his residence is shown as 106, Christchurch Road, Streatham Hill Surrey. Half of his estate, which was valued at £5463 8s 1d was left to one of his brothers Richard Owen, BAM, a Musician and Schoolteacher.
An entry in Andrews Newspaper Index Cards reads:
"In loving memory of (Bill) Gerald William Beachcroft, 2nd Lieut., K.O.R. Lancaster Regiment, killed in action at Oostaverne, July 31st. Never forgotten".
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Ann Hacke, Terry & Glenis Collins
