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748106
Sergeant
George Hooper Wallace Beake
Born 1904 Bristol
Son of Charles Henry and Emily Maria Beake
Elder brother to Helen
1921 - George was a Pawnbroker Apprentice at J E Fulljames Pawnbroker, Portsmouth
1927 - George married Edith Gertrude Worthington at Pontypridd, Glamorgan
Home in Glamorgan Wales
Royal Artillery
241/77 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment
Service
The 77 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment was a Welsh TA Regiment, comprising of four Batteries, 239, 240, 241 and 242.
In August 1940 they were attached to the 4th Anti-Aircraft Division, but by September 1940 they had returned to Wales, protecting Mardy Farm, Llwyn-y-grant, and Pye Corner, Newport.
In June 1941, the 77 H.A.A. were now down to three Batteries 239, 240 and 241.
1941/12/06 - The Territorial Chester area 21st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment together with the 48th L.A.A Regiment, 77 H.A.A. and 18 L.A.A. Regiments of the Royal Artillery left the Clyde for the Middle East in Convoy William Sail 14.
1941/12/08 - Japan entered the war by Bombing Pearl Harbour and attacking Malaya and Hong Kong.
1941/12/09 - The Convoy William Sail 14 was formed off Oversay.
The convoy consisted of:- City of Pretoria, Empress of Australia, Troilus, Warwick Castle, Malancha (which joined convoy at Capetown) and Dunera (Which joined the convoy at Durban). The City of Canterbury was detached to BM 12 and went to Singapore.
Empress of Australia
The 77 Heavy Anti Aitcraft Regiment were aboard the Empress of Australia.
1942/01/13 - By the time WS 14 had reached Durban, South Africa, their destination had changed to Singapore, and they sailed from Durban in Convoy DM-2 (Durban Malaya -2).
1942/01/19 - Off Mombassa at 01.05 N, 91.28 E they merged with Convoy BM-12 (Bombay Malaya -12) and were re-routed to Batavia, Java with their supplies.
1942/01/26 - The Empress of Australia was diverted to to Addu Atoll in the Maldives to refuel.
1942/02/03 - Arrived at Batavia, Java and docked under a Japanese air attack.
The 48 LAA Regiment, Royal Artillery, on arrival in Batavia, deployed the 49 Battery around Kalidjati airfield, North of Bandoeng. The 95 Battery were deployed at Andir airfield, Bandoeng and HQ together with 242 Battery were in Batavia.
The 77 H.A.A Regiment less 239 Battery, were transported by train to Surabaya to sett up their guns to defend Eastern Java against enemy aircraft. The 239 battery stayed in defence of Batavia.
The train taking the 241 Battery to Surabaya crashed into an ammunition train on a single track bridge just outside Surabaya, 30 were killed and 100 were injured.
George is reported as dying on the 4th February 1942 before the train crash, so it is believed George died in the Japanese Air Attack on Batavia.
Died
4th February 1942
Killed in Action Java
Loved Ones
Son of Charles Henry and Emily Maria Beake
Husband of Edith Gertrude Beake
Memorial
Sp. Mem. 5. F. 7.
Jakarta War Cemetery
Indonesia
In the Tabernacle Baptist Church, the Hayes, Cardiff is a memorial board ( IWM Ref.37158 ) carved by a British POW at Changi , commemorating the 77 H.A.A. Regiment’s fallen, including Sgt.Beake and Lt. Ainsley. After the Japanese demolished the camp church it was hanging in, it was not until 18 months later it was discovered under a pile of rubble and Taken back to the UK.
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Pacific Star
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War Medal
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1939-1945 Star
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Far East Medals
Information
Geoff Price
Java Index
Commonwealth War Grave Commission
KEW Files:- WO 304/3, WO 361/2195,
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