Saturday, October 26, 2013

Private Arthur Patrick Beattie 30532

Arthur P Beattie

Identification

The name given on the memorial is Arthur P Beattie. The CWGC had two results for A.P. Beattie and only one of them was called Arthur. The certificate showed that he was in the King's Liverpool Regiment (KLR) so he looked like a good candidate.
The medal card and UK Soldiers Died in the Great War (SDIGW) entry tallied and gave his middle name as Patrick.

Family information

The birth of Arthur Patrick Beatty was registered in Liverpool in 1880.  His parents were John Beatty and Winifred (formerly Halligan)

In the 1881 census, when Arthur was 5 months old (which means he was born around November 1880)  the family were lodging at 80 Aspinall St, John Beatty was working as a Railway Porter. The household also consisted of the Oak family (5 people, Mary Oak head of the household) and Maria Haddon, another boarder (Aged 40, born Norfolk, married)

Arthur’s mother, Winifred, died in 1890, on the death index her surname is spelled Beattie. I have not yet found an 1891 census record for John and Arthur.

In the 1901 census John and Arthur were boarders at 8 house 22 court Hampton St, the only other occupant was Louisa Wright a 46 year old widow from Birmingham (presumeably their landlady) John was listed as a widower and both he and Arthur were working as general labourers.

In 1902 Arthur Patrick Beattie married Martha Jane Dunn in Liverpool. They had the following children together:
John Beattie b 1904
William Alexander Beattie b 1907
Arthur Beattie b 1909 d 1937
Peter Beattie b 1911    d 29 Sept 1999

In the 1911 census Arthur and Martha Jane with their sons John, William and Arthur were living at 86 St Arnaud St. The census shows that these 3 sons were the only children surviving from 6.  Peter was born after the April census.
Arthur as working as a 'labourer electric works' for Liverpool Corporation.

Military 

Arthur's military service records have not survived. He was with the 4th Battalion The King's (Liverpool Regiment). His medal card shows that he went to France on 7th December 1915 and was eligible for the 1915 medal as well as the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

Kathy Donaldson of "Liverpool Soldiers" has transcribed an entry for Arthur P Beattie in a wounded list published on 15th Jan 1917. The lists were published 4-5 weeks after the event so Arthur was probably wounded mid-late December 1916. He was reported Killed in Action so it would seem that he recovered from his injuries and returned to his regiment for a short time. 


At the time of his death, the 4th Battalion were part of the 33rd Division which was taking part in the Battles of Arras.

The day of Arthur Beattie's death in action was the opening day of the Second Battle of the Scarpe. 

An image of Arthur P Beattie's medal card. Source: Ancestry.co.uk

Commemoration

Arthur Patrick Beattie's entry in UK Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919.
Name: Arthur Patrick Beattie
Birth Place: Liverpool
Death Date: 23 April 1917
Death Location:     France & Flanders
Enlistment location: Liverpool
Rank: Private
Regiment: King’s (Liverpool Regiment)
Battalion: 4th
Number: 30532
Type of casualty: Killed in Action

Theatre of War: Western European Theatre


Family Notice in the local paper

Arthur's photograph was published in the Liverpool Echo on 18th May 1917 with a family notice which read:


FORMER BOOTH EMPLOYEE

Pte. A.P. Beattie. K.L.R., has been killed in action. He resided at 63, Laxey St, Par-road. Before joining the army, he was employed in the Booth Steamship Line. He leaves a widow and four children.







Pte Beattie has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial (France)
Arras Memorial. Copyright Amanda Taylor 2007




Liverpool Hall of Remembrance

Arthur P Beattie's name appears twice in the Hall of Remembrance at Liverpool Town Hall. 



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