Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands

Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands
Nickname(s) Known as Paul
Born 9 September 1897
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Died 8 May 1919
Northolt
Buried at St Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks, Kent, England
Allegiance King George V of the British Empire
Service/branch Infantry; aviation
Rank Captain
Unit Hampshire Regiment, No. 70 Squadron RFC, No. 24 Squadron RAF
Awards Military Cross

Captain Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands MC (9 September 1897 – 8 May 1919) was a Canadian World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.

Early life

Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on 9 September 1897.[1] He was a minister's son; Canon Beanlands was rector of Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria. Beanlands' mother was Laura Maud Hills. Both parents would predecease their son.[2]

The younger Beanlands was educated at Oundle School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before joining the Hampshire Regiment in December 1914, in the first few months of World War I.[3]

World War I

On 3 March 1916, Beanlands was promoted to lieutenant in the Hampshires.[4] On 31 May 1916, he was forwarded as a second lieutenant to be a Flying Officer with the Royal Flying Corps.[5] On 1 September 1916, he was promoted to temporary lieutenant while serving with the RFC.[6] Five days later, he scored his first aerial victory, killing aces Hans Rosencrantz and Wilhelm Fahlbusch in their reconnaissance two-seater.[7] On 1 December 1916 he was appointed as Flight Commander, with a promotion to temporary captain.[8]

He transferred postings to 24 Squadron, where he scored eight more victories between 25 August 1917 and 18 March 1918.[9] On 11 April 1918, he was reported wounded in action in Flight magazine.[10] By that time, he had won the Military Cross, which was gazetted 25 April 1918:

....He has brought down three enemy aeroplanes out of control and driven down several others over the enemy lines.[11]

Post World War I

Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands survived the war, only to die in a flying accident at RAF Northolt on 8 May 1919.[12] He was buried in the northwest corner of the new ground in the cemetery of his father's home parish, at Sevenoaks (St. Nicholas) Churchyard, Kent, England.[13][14]

List of aerial victories

Beanlands' first victory was scored while he was with 70 Squadron. The rest of his triumphs came with 24 Squadron.

No. Date/time Aircraft Foe Result Location Notes
1 6 September 1916 @ 1845 hours Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter serial number A1902 Roland reconnaissance plane Destroyed by fire Elincourt, France Observer/gunner: C. A. Good. Victory shared with William Sanday and three other members of the RFC. Wilhelm Fahlbusch, Hans Rosencrantz KIA.
2 25 August 1917 @ 0600 hours Airco D.H.5 s/n A9165 German reconnaissance plane Destroyed by fire Bellenglise, France
3 25 August 1917 @ 0600 hours Airco D.H.5 s/n A9165 German reconnaissance plane Driven down out of control Bellenglise, France Shared victory.
4 13 November 1917 @ 1230 hours Airco D.H.5 s/n A9304 Albatros D.III fighter Captured Schoorbakke
5 13 November 1917 @ 1230 hours Airco D.H.5 s/n A9304 Albatros D.III fighter Driven down out of control Schoorbakke
6 18 November 1917 @ 1105 hours Airco D.H.5 s/n A9304 Albatros D.III fighter Driven down out of control Nieuwpoort-Dixmude, Belgium Shared victory
7 30 November 1917 @ 1255 hours Airco D.H.5 s/n A9304 Albatros D.V fighter Driven down out of control East of Bourlon Wood
8 18 March 1918 @ 1140 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a fighter s/n C1081 German reconnaissance plane Driven down out of control Villers Le Sec, France Victory shared with Harold Redler[15]

See also

Aerial victory standards of World War I

Endnotes

  1. ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/beanlands.php Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  2. ↑ (Flight, 29 May 1919) http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1919/1919%20-%200715.html Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  3. ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/beanlands.php Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  4. ↑ (The London Gazette, 1 September 1916) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29730/pages/8596; http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29730/pages/8597 Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  5. ↑ (Supplement to the London Gazette, 29 June 1916) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29646/supplements/6476 Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  6. ↑ (Supplement to the London Gazette, 14 October 1916) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29784/supplements/9926 Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  7. ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/beanlands.php Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  8. ↑ (The London Gazette, 12 December 1916) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29860/pages/12126 Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  9. ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/beanlands.php Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  10. ↑ (Flight, 11 April 1918, p. 394) http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1918/1918%20-%200398.html Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  11. ↑ (Supplement to the London Gazette, 25 April 1918) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30651/supplements/4995 Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  12. ↑ (Flight, 29 May 1919) http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1919/1919%20-%200715.html Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  13. ↑ http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=368365 Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  14. ↑ (Flight, 29 May 1919) http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1919/1919%20-%200715.html Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  15. ↑ Shores, et al (1990). Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces, 1915-1920. p. 67.
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