Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021:
Ernest Richard Beesley, 22 was a son of 1501 Sergeant Ernest George Beesley who had been killed on Gallipoli on 29 August 1915. A farmer, Ernest Richard Beesley enlisted 4 November 1916 and embarked on the Ayreshire 24 January 1917. It was a slow voyage, not arriving in Devonport, UK until 12 April 1917. It is not clear why Beesley remained in the 13th Training Battalion at Codford for the next seven months. He did have a month in hospital with mumps and he did go AWL for two days for which he had to forfeit 12 days’ pay.
Beesley did not cross to France and march into the 42nd Battalion until 17 December 1917, more than a year after enlistment. Shortly afterwards he was transferred to the 11th Light Trench Mortar Battery. Facing the German attack at Morlancourt, Beesley received a gunshot wound to the abdomen. He was taken back to the Vignacourt Clearing Station where he died of wounds on 7 April 1918. He was buried in the Vignacourt British Cemetery.
See: War Casualties: The Sydney Morning Herald, Sat, 20 April 1918, p14.
His mother requested the following inscription for his gravestone but it was rejected as too long.
SHINE SUN, SHINE UPON THEM WHERE THEY LIE. AND STORM AND WINTER PASS THEM BY. AND DARKNESS PLEADING TO THE EARTH FOR LIGHT. LEAN OVER THEM AS MOTHERS MIGHT. LEAN OVER THEM AND SAY GOOD NIGHT, GOOD NIGHT.
Ernest Richard Beesley’s name is on the Auburn War Memorial and, along with his father and a brother, is found on the First World War Roll of Honour in St Philip’s Anglican Church, Auburn.
Ernest Richard Beesley is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- St Philip’s Anglican Church Auburn First World War Honour Roll
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- British War Medal
- 1914-20 Victory Medal
Note: The Vignacourt British Cemetery is unique in that it contains a statue of a French soldier, erected in 1921 by local citizens (see images 2 and 3 below). The inscription reads:
Brothers in arms of the British Army,
Fallen in the field of honour, Sleep in peace
We are watching over you.
