City of Brighton & · Web viewd C h u r c h T h e A n n u n ci a t i o n C le r g y S t M a r t i n ’ s S c h o o l F a i r li g h t S c h o o l T h e T r i a n g le R o u n d H

City of Brighton & Hove

Unveiling of the Victoria Cross Commemorative Stone by

The Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex Peter Field

to

2nd Lt. Ernest Frederick Beal V.C.Friday 16th March 2018

The War Memorial, Old Steine Brighton

11:00 for 11.30am

Followed by theCommemorative Plaque unveiling

byThe Rt. Worshipful the Mayor of The City of Brighton & Hove,

Councillor Mo Marsh in the presence of

The High Sheriff of East Sussex, Mrs Maureen Chowen at

148 Lewes Road, Brighton1.45 for 2.00pm

City of Brighton & Hove2nd Lt. Ernest Frederick Beal VC

Unveiling ofVictoria Cross Commemorative Stone

THE WAR MEMORIAL, OLD STEINE BRIGHTON

11:00 for 11.30hrs

Order of Service

11:00 Standards Muster

11.20 Arrival of the Mayor of The City of Brighton & Hove, Councillor Mo Marsh and

High Sheriff of East Sussex Mrs Maureen Chowen

11.25 Arrival of the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Mr Peter Field Accompanied by The Yorkshire Regiment and

The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment Guard of Honour

The Band of The Brigade of Gurkhas

11:30 Welcome address by The Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex

Hymn sung: I vow to thee my country I heard my country calling,

Away across the sea,Across the waste of waters, She calls and calls to me.

Her sword is girded at her side, Her helmet on her head,

And around her feet are lying The dying and the dead;

I hear the noise of battle, The thunder of her guns;

I haste to thee, my mother, A son among thy sons.

I vow to thee, my country All earthly things above

Entire and whole and perfect The service of my love

Readings:Boys Brigade: Mr Gary Pickett

Mr Martin Greenwood (Great Nephew)Sussex Yeomanry: Col David Stevens OBE TD DL

Royal Sussex Regiment: Mr Bill WoodThe Green Howards: Col Clive Mantell MBE

Prayers led by the Archdeacon of Brighton & Lewes The Venerable Martin Lloyd-Williams

CitationRead by: Lt Col David O’Kelly, The Yorkshire Regiment

Unveiling of the Victoria Cross Commemorative Stone: by

The Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex

Reading of the Binyon lines: Dudley ButtonPresident Brighton & Hove City Branch, Royal British Legion

Last Post

Reveille

The Kohima read byThe Right Worshipful The Mayor of the City of Brighton & Hove

Councillor Mo Marsh

Wreath Laying Blessing

National Anthem sung

May Florence Bundy was born in the Lewes Road area of Brighton in 1891. She became engaged to Ernest whilst working as a clerk at

John Beal and Sons. Following the loss of her fiancé she kept theremembrance of Ernest and his bravery alive within her family and

circle of friends. She lived a full life but never married. May died in 1981 at the age of 90. Memories of Ernest and May remain precious

within the family to this day.

City of Brighton & HoveCommemorative plaque unveiling

byThe Rt. Worshipful the Mayor of The City of Brighton & Hove,

Councillor Mo Marsh to

2nd Lt. Ernest Frederick Beal V.C.in the presence of

The High Sheriff of East Sussex, Mrs Maureen Chowen at

148 Lewes Road, Brighton1.45 for 2.00pm

ORDER OF SERVICE

2.05 Arrival of the High Sheriff of East Sussex accompanied by

The Yorkshire Regiment and The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment Guard of Honour and Standard Bearers

National Anthem

Welcome address by High Sheriff of East

Sussex ReadingsMr Martin Greenwood (Great Nephew)

Honorary Alderman Brian Fitch,Vice Chairman of Brighton and Hove Heritage Commission

Prayers led by the Archdeacon of Brighton & Lewes The Venerable Martin Lloyd-Williams

CitationRead by: Vice Admiral Sir Anthony Dymock KBE

CB Address andunveiling of the Commemorative Plaque by

The Rt. Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Brighton and Hove Councillor Mo Marsh

Reading of the Binyon lines: Dudley Button President Brighton & Hove City Branch, Royal British Legion

Last Post Reveille

The Kohima Wreath Laying

BlessingHymn: I vow to thee my country (see page 2)

Closing address by Roger AmerenaChairman of Brighton and Hove Commemorative Plaque

Panel National AnthemPhotographs

Recession of Official Party and Invited Guests led by

Standard Bearers to

EMAS entrance, Fairlight School, Pevensey Road for tea.

2nd Lt. Ernest Frederick Beal V.C.27 January 1883 – 22 March 1918

Reading,

Eldest son of John James William Beal of 55 East Street, Brighton, Sussex. He was an active member of the Boy’s Brigade. After Brighton Grammar School he worked in his father’s stationery shop and lived with his family at 148 Lewes Road, Brighton.

On 22nd September 1914, at the age of 31, he enlisted as a Trooper in the 2/1st Sussex Yeomanry. By the 11th June 1915, he was promoted to Sergeant and was posted on 10th September to the l/lst Sussex Yeomanry serving at Gallipoli and in Egypt.

In December 1916 he was recommended for a commission. It is not known where he trained as an Officer but he joined the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own,Yorkshire Regiment in September 1917 and was posted a month later to D Company of the 13th (Service) Battalion on the Western Front.

Second Lieutenant Ernest BeaI was awarded the posthumous Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery on 21st March 1918 at Saint-Léger. On the following morning, he was killed by ashell, aged 35. His name is listed on the Arras ‘Memorial to the Missing’ in Pas-de-Calais, France. The announcement was made in The London Gazette on 31st May 1918 and his parents received his posthumous Victoria Cross from H.M. King George V on 3rd July at Buckingham Palace.

Citation,

‘For most conspicuous bravery and determined leading when in command of a company detailed to occupy a certain sectionof trench. When the company was established, it was found that a considerable gap of about 400 yards existed between the left flank of the company and the neighbouring unit, and that this gap was strongly held by the enemy. It was of vital importance that the gap should be cleared, but no troops were then available. Organising a small party of less than a dozen men, he led them against the enemy. On reaching an enemy machine gun, 2nd Lt. Beal immediately sprang forward, and with his revolver killed the team and captured the gun. Continuing along the trench he encountered and dealt with another machine gun in the same manner, and in all captured four enemy guns, and inflicted severe casualties. Later in the evening, when a wounded man had been left in the open under heavy enemy fire, he, regardless of danger, walked up close to an enemy machine gun and brought in the wounded man on his back. 2nd Lt. Beal was killed by a shell on the following morning.’— London Gazette, published 31st May 1918

The Victoria Cross was handed onto Ernest’s brother, Harold, on the death of his father and the campaign medals to his fiancé May Bundy. The medals were loaned to the Green Howards Museum in 1964 and finally bequeathed as a gift in July 1973.

The OfficialProcession Party

at 1.45 will leave St Martin’s Church via Lewes Road to Ernest Beal’s birthplace led by

The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment Bugler Vice Admiral Sir Anthony Dymock

KBE. CBCol Clive Mantell MBE Lt Col David O’Kelly

Beal Family and Bundy Family Archdeacon

Union Standard Bearer Mace Bearer

Mayor High SheriffMayor’s Chaplain

Roger Amerena Standard

Bearers Boys Brigade

High Sheriff ’s Consort

Adrian Ball. Col. David Stevens OBE TD DL. Bill Wood. Lt Col. Eric Gill.Lt. Col. John Rayner RE Retd. Mrs M Rayner

BHASVIC Past and Present Assoc Mr and Mrs Spiers

Brighton and Hove Heritage Commission Aldermen

CouncillorsMartyn Bell Deputy Mayor of Chichester

Paul McCue, London Borough of WandsworthPlaque Panel

VisitBrighton BHCC Civic OfficeSecret WW2 Learning

Network Banner PartiesSt Martin’s Church United Reformed Church The

Annunciation ClergySt Martin’s

School Fairlight School

The Triangle Round Hill SocThe Level Community Forum Sylvan Hall RAEastbourne Society Worthing Society

Waitrose Ltd.The Yorkshire Regiment and The Princess of Wales’s Royal

Regimentline the route, then take up the rear.

The Band of the Brigade of Gurkas

MusicPlayed by

The Salvation Army, Brighton Congress Hall Band

National Anthem The Yorkshire Regiment Quick March The Green Howards Quick MarchI vow to thee my country, Gustav HolstIt’s a Long Way To Tipperary, Robert

Mandell

Sussex by the Sea, William Ward-Higgs

Colonel Bogey, Kenneth J Alford

Plaque funding provided by:

Past & Present Association

Mr and Mrs Spiers

Food kindly given by:

Transport kindly provided by:

Plaque fitted by G.S Bristow Ltd, Bricklayers.

Printed and Designed by Mail Boxes Etc Brighton