Walter Beales
Encyclopedia
Sergeant Walter Beales was a flying ace
credited with nine official victories. He began his long career of service during World War I, and served during and after World War II.
as a despatch rider in December 1914 and earned the 1914–1915 Star. Beales then switched roles to that of observer/gunner in the Bristol F.2 Fighter
s of 48 Squadron, which was operating on the Western Front
.
He scored his first aerial victory on 21 March 1918, destroying a German Pfalz D.III
while piloted by William Lewis Wells
. Two days later, the crew of Beales and Wells destroyed an LVG
reconnaissance plane in the morning, and another LVG and a Pfalz D.III in the evening. On 28 March, Corporal Beales was wounded in the hand while in a dogfight with a German fighter; though Beales claimed he drove down the fighter out of control, the win went unverified.
Beales brought down his fifth victim, an Albatros D.V
, out of control on 1 April. On the 25th, flying with Charles Napier
as his pilot, Beales destroyed a Rumpler
. On 9 May, in a ten minute dogfight, Beales and Napier drove down two Fokker Dr.I
triplanes and a Pfalz D.III
; in turn, they were brought down, probably by Germans from Jasta 46, but survived. Beales final tally was five German airplanes shot down and destroyed, four driven down out of control.
For his efforts, Beales was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in April; it would be gazetted on 26 June 1918.
from 1922 to 1937.
In World War II, he would accept a commission in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
and command a gliding school. He would later command his local Air Training Corps
unit. He gave up his commission as a Flying Officer
in the RAFVR on 1 May 1951.
2565 Cpl. W. Beales, R.A.F. (Grimsby).
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to
duty. Whilst returning alone from a
reconnaissance he was attacked by three
enemy machines. Though he was wounded
in the hand he drove down one of
them out of control, and drove off the others
in a running fight lasting ten minutes. On
a later occasion he ably assisted his pilot in
bringing down two enemy machines,: one of
which went down in flames. He performed
excellent work during recent operations in
engaging ground targets, often flying at very
low altitudes under heavy fire. His keenness
and deteirmination have been a great
incentive to the other N.C.Os. in his
squadron.
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
credited with nine official victories. He began his long career of service during World War I, and served during and after World War II.
World War I
Beales was the son of Alderman W. S. Beales. The younger Beales joined the Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
as a despatch rider in December 1914 and earned the 1914–1915 Star. Beales then switched roles to that of observer/gunner in the Bristol F.2 Fighter
Bristol F.2 Fighter
The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
s of 48 Squadron, which was operating on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
.
He scored his first aerial victory on 21 March 1918, destroying a German Pfalz D.III
Pfalz D.III
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962. ISBN 0-93385-271-1.* Grosz, Peter M. Pfalz D.IIIa . Berkhamsted, Herts, UK: Albatros Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-94841-425-1.* Guttman, Jon. Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 ...
while piloted by William Lewis Wells
William Lewis Wells
Captain William Lewis Wells was a British World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories. His exceptional valour twice won him the Military Cross.-Early life:William Lewis Wells was born in Hounslow, Middlesex, England in 1895...
. Two days later, the crew of Beales and Wells destroyed an LVG
LVG
Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin-Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bomber biplanes during World War I.The raid on London in 1916 was...
reconnaissance plane in the morning, and another LVG and a Pfalz D.III in the evening. On 28 March, Corporal Beales was wounded in the hand while in a dogfight with a German fighter; though Beales claimed he drove down the fighter out of control, the win went unverified.
Beales brought down his fifth victim, an Albatros D.V
Albatros D.V
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Bennett, Leon. Gunning for the Red Baron. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-58544-507-X....
, out of control on 1 April. On the 25th, flying with Charles Napier
Charles Napier (aviator)
-Early life:Charles George Douglas Napier was born in Shepherd's Bush, London, England in 1892. He would begin his military service as a private in the British Army Cyclist Corps.-World War I:...
as his pilot, Beales destroyed a Rumpler
Rumpler
The Rumpler Tropfenwagen was a car developed by Austrian engineer Edmund Rumpler.Rumpler, born in Vienna, was a designer of aircraft when on the 1921's Berlin car show he introduced the Tropfenwagen. It was to be the first streamlined car . The Rumpler had a Cw-value of only 0.28...
. On 9 May, in a ten minute dogfight, Beales and Napier drove down two Fokker Dr.I
Fokker Dr.I
The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
triplanes and a Pfalz D.III
Pfalz D.III
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962. ISBN 0-93385-271-1.* Grosz, Peter M. Pfalz D.IIIa . Berkhamsted, Herts, UK: Albatros Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-94841-425-1.* Guttman, Jon. Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 ...
; in turn, they were brought down, probably by Germans from Jasta 46, but survived. Beales final tally was five German airplanes shot down and destroyed, four driven down out of control.
For his efforts, Beales was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in April; it would be gazetted on 26 June 1918.
Post World War I
Walter Beales became a mortician at Weelsby Grove postwar. He also seems to have been the licensee of the Victoria Arms public house in NorfolkNorfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
from 1922 to 1937.
In World War II, he would accept a commission in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of the Royal Air Force's Air Training Corps and CCF Air Cadet formations, Volunteer Gliding Squadrons , Air Experience Flights, and also to form the...
and command a gliding school. He would later command his local Air Training Corps
Air Training Corps
The Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
unit. He gave up his commission as a Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
in the RAFVR on 1 May 1951.
Honors and awards
Distinguished Conduct Medal2565 Cpl. W. Beales, R.A.F. (Grimsby).
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to
duty. Whilst returning alone from a
reconnaissance he was attacked by three
enemy machines. Though he was wounded
in the hand he drove down one of
them out of control, and drove off the others
in a running fight lasting ten minutes. On
a later occasion he ably assisted his pilot in
bringing down two enemy machines,: one of
which went down in flames. He performed
excellent work during recent operations in
engaging ground targets, often flying at very
low altitudes under heavy fire. His keenness
and deteirmination have been a great
incentive to the other N.C.Os. in his
squadron.
External links
- http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/beales.php gives a detailed list of his victories
Reference
- Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914-1918. Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest, Gregory Alegi. Grub Street, 1997. ISBN 1898697566, 9781898697565.