BEETON, Harry
No. 8368, Private, Harry (Henry Robert) BEETON
Aged 25
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Henry Robert BEETON was born in Exning in 3Q-1890 [Newmarket 3b:500] to John and Annie Maria [Nancy] BEETON (née PRYKE) of Exning Villas, High Street, Exning. 1891 census...at Exning Villas, High Street, Exning were Henry Robert [7 months] with father John[34], a labourer, born Newmarket...mother Nancy[25], born Exning....brother Charles W [3], born Exning....grandmother Elizabeth Prike [67], born Exning and brother in law John[38], labourer, born Exning 1901 census...at White Horse Yard, Exning were Henry R [10] with father, mother, brother George T [5], born Exning....grandmother, brother in law John and sister Alice E Pryke [16], born Exning. His brother Charles William had died in Q2-1896 aged 9. 1911 census...Harry Beeton is a private in Army (Ceylon/India) absent in Hospital in Kisber?. His parents and grandmother are in Drapery Row, Newmarket Some of his military records survive. On attestation on 16 Nov 1907 he gave his age as 19 years and 2 months ( adding on two years) when enlisting in the 3rd Battalion Suffolk Regiment, No.7536. He gave his residence as St. Mary’s, Newmarket which was in line with living at Drapery Row) and his master as G Brooks. Height 5 ft 5.25 inches (165.7 cm) and weight 112 pounds (51 kg). After just 49 days, on 3rd Jan 1908 he joined the Lincolnshire Regiment. His military Service Sheet only gives his next of kin as Father, John Beeton of Drapery Row, Newmarket, and his younger brother George also of Drapery Row, Newmarket. ( who apparently was in the 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment in Aden in the 1911 census). His death certificate gives his home address as High Street,Fordham, and that he died of Lobar Pneumonia in Grimsby & District Hospital. It is very likely he was at Weelsby Camp near Grimsby at the time. Just to confuse things more, the pension card (1919) gives his mother as Mrs WRIGHT, of Church Street, Fordham. That is however explained by his father dying in 1911 and his mother marrying Charles WRIGHT) in 1916 |
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The "Yellow Bellies" or "Poachers" 3rd Battalion was the Reserve Battalion, training replacements for the front line.The term "Yellow Bellies" comes from the
yellow facings to old uniforms, but Poachers seems the more popular nickname. His medal card has him in the 2nd Battalion, they arrived back from Bermuda in 1912 and when war broke out they went to France on 6th November 1914, entering action the first time in March 1915. If Harry was 2nd Battalion, and his card gives the disembarkation date and records BEF, he most certainly qualified for the 1914 star, but seemingly not the clasp. This confusion may never be settled due to missing service records. The 3rd Battalion did not serve in the BEF and that is where CWGC and "Soldiers Died" have him. |
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