Lot Essay
D.S.M. London Gazette 15.5.1916 'In recognition of services rendered by Petty Officers and men of the Eastern Mediterranean Squadron between the time of landing in the Gallipoli Peninsula in April 1915, and the time of evacuation in December 1915 January 1916'.
Master at Arms Alfred George Beall, D.S.M., was born at Stoke Damerel, Devon in March 1873 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in December 1891. Enjoying a number of seagoing appointments and steady promotion over the next decade, he gained advancement to Petty Officer 1st Class in July 1901. Re-rated as a Ship's Corporal in the following year, he served in that capacity aboard the Hyacinth in the Somaliland operations of 1902-04 and was awarded his L.S. and G.C. Medal in April 1906. Beall gained advancement to Master at Arms in late 1911 and was pensioned ashore to the Royal Fleet Reserve in March 1914. With the outbreak of hostilities, however, he was immediately called up and joined the Ship's Company of the Battleship Ocean, in which ship he participated in the Dardanelles operations up until her demise on 18.3.1915:
'The Battleship Ocean was a component of the Allied Fleet engaged in the bombardment of the Dardanelles Forts in the First World War. On 18 March 1915, at about 3 p.m., the Battleship Irresistible ran on a mine and took a heavy list. It was believed at the time that she could be saved and the Destroyer Wear, and later Ocean, came alongside to give assistance. Wear took off most of the Battleship's crew, while Ocean passed a wire hawser and prepared to tow Irresistible out of range of the forts. The intensity of the enemy's fire soon convinced the Captains of both ships that the attempt, at least in daylight, was attended by too great a risk. The volunteers of Irresistible were therefore taken off and the ship allowed to drift to nightfall. The Ocean had not steamed more than a mile from her stricken consort when she in turn struck a mine, which exploded on her starboard side, flooding her bunkers and jamming her helm. She was also hit by a heavy shell which flooded her steering engine room. The Destroyers Chelmer, Colne and Jed were called alongside and Captain Hayes-Sadler and his entire company were safely transferred. Both Battleships sank during the night' (Hocking's Dictionary of Disasters at Sea refers).
Temporarily removed to the Dublin, Beall next joined, in June 1915, another Cruiser, the Europa, in which ship he served until the Summer of 1916 when he returned ashore. His final wartime appointment was as Master at Arms of the Impregnable from August 1916 until the end of hostilities. Beall was finally demobilised in July 1920.
Master at Arms Alfred George Beall, D.S.M., was born at Stoke Damerel, Devon in March 1873 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in December 1891. Enjoying a number of seagoing appointments and steady promotion over the next decade, he gained advancement to Petty Officer 1st Class in July 1901. Re-rated as a Ship's Corporal in the following year, he served in that capacity aboard the Hyacinth in the Somaliland operations of 1902-04 and was awarded his L.S. and G.C. Medal in April 1906. Beall gained advancement to Master at Arms in late 1911 and was pensioned ashore to the Royal Fleet Reserve in March 1914. With the outbreak of hostilities, however, he was immediately called up and joined the Ship's Company of the Battleship Ocean, in which ship he participated in the Dardanelles operations up until her demise on 18.3.1915:
'The Battleship Ocean was a component of the Allied Fleet engaged in the bombardment of the Dardanelles Forts in the First World War. On 18 March 1915, at about 3 p.m., the Battleship Irresistible ran on a mine and took a heavy list. It was believed at the time that she could be saved and the Destroyer Wear, and later Ocean, came alongside to give assistance. Wear took off most of the Battleship's crew, while Ocean passed a wire hawser and prepared to tow Irresistible out of range of the forts. The intensity of the enemy's fire soon convinced the Captains of both ships that the attempt, at least in daylight, was attended by too great a risk. The volunteers of Irresistible were therefore taken off and the ship allowed to drift to nightfall. The Ocean had not steamed more than a mile from her stricken consort when she in turn struck a mine, which exploded on her starboard side, flooding her bunkers and jamming her helm. She was also hit by a heavy shell which flooded her steering engine room. The Destroyers Chelmer, Colne and Jed were called alongside and Captain Hayes-Sadler and his entire company were safely transferred. Both Battleships sank during the night' (Hocking's Dictionary of Disasters at Sea refers).
Temporarily removed to the Dublin, Beall next joined, in June 1915, another Cruiser, the Europa, in which ship he served until the Summer of 1916 when he returned ashore. His final wartime appointment was as Master at Arms of the Impregnable from August 1916 until the end of hostilities. Beall was finally demobilised in July 1920.