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Auction: 13002 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 274

A Rare and Very Complete Great War Fighter Pilot's Casualty Group of Three to Sergeant 1st Class Pilot W.J. Beadle, 1 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, Who Claimed 3 Victories in His Nieuport, Before Being Killed in a Flying Accident, 24.4.1918
1914 Star, with Bar (986 2/A.M. W.J. Beadle. R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals (986 Sgt. W.J. Beadle. R.F.C.), extremely fine, with the recipient's Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque, 'William James Beadle', in card holder of issue, and the following related items:
- Three named card boxes of issue, with Registered Envelope addressed to 'Mrs. F.K. Beadle, 101 The Vale, Acton, W3'
- Two Glass Plate Negatives of recipient in uniform, one slightly damaged; photograph of recipient in uniform standing in front of his aircraft, and R.F.C. Wings (3)

986 Sergeant William James Beadle, born Wimbledon, London; entered Royal Flying Corps as 2 A.M., 3.12.1913; served as 1 A.M. with the Aircraft Park, France, from 16.8.1914; Corporal 1.11.1915; briefly served with 16 Squadron, St. Omer, before being posted back to the UK, November 1915; reverted to Sergeant 1st Class Pilot, 14.12.1916 and was awarded a Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate (No. 5126), 26.4.1917; re-embarked for service in France as a Pilot at the beginning of May 1917; after an initial posting to 29 (Fighter) Squadron (Nieuports), Le Hameau, Beadle was sent for operational flying to 1 Squadron (Nieuports), Bailleul, 8.6.1917; the squadron mainly flew Offensive Patrols over the lines against the German circuses, and were heavily engaged in air combats as part of the 11th Wing of the 2nd Brigade; Beadle did not have to wait long to enter the fray, 12.6.1917, 'Whilst on Northern Offensive Patrol, I saw a two seater Albatross at 10,000 feet over Boesinghe - I dived on it and fired 1 drum, evidently wounding the Observer as no attempt was made to return fire. H.A. put nose down and went N.E. when I dived again, firing and following him down and saw him crash in Polygon Wood. Decisive' (Combat Report refers); he had another victory whilst on patrol over Gheluvelt, 2.7.1917, 'While on Offensive Patrol, patrol attacked 6 E.A. scouts, I selected a machine with black and white markings which was getting away from one of our Nieuports and fired at close range - machine heeled over and over, then went down in a series of rolls and spins. Decisive' (Ibid); five days later, Beadle claimed another victim, whilst on an Offensive Patrol of 6 Nieuports led by Second Lieutenant Fullard over Roulers; they engaged 10 enemy Scouts and 'I dived on one Albatross Scout and fired a whole drum into it, after which he went into a very steep dive, then in an uncontrollable spin with engine on. At this time I was attacked from the rear by a yellow Scout with a tail like a Sopwith and three Albatross Scouts. I outclimbed them and rejoined the Patrol. Decisive. Confirmed by 2/Lt. Fullard and 2/Lt. Kelney' (Ibid); at the end of July Beadle was sent to the Hospital Ship Carisbrooke Castle; before returning to the UK in August and being admitted to a hospital in Bethnal Green; being found fit for duty in December 1917, he was posted as a Pilot Instructor to 1 (Observer) School of Air Gunnery; Beadle was listed as 'Missing Believed Drowned in Aeroplane Accident', 22.4.1918; his body was never recovered, and he is commemorated on the Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton.

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Sold for
£2,300