Edmund Charles Beard
Edmund Charles Beard | |
---|---|
Born | Terenure, Dublin, Ireland | 21 April 1894
Died | 20 January 1974 | (aged 79)
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | British Army |
Years of service | 1914–1946 |
Rank | Major General |
Service number | 9698 |
Unit | Royal Irish Regiment South Lancashire Regiment Duke of Wellington's Regiment |
Commands held | Poona Area (1943–46) 133rd Infantry Brigade (1940–42) 1st Battalion Duke of Wellington's Regiment (1939) |
Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross Mentioned in Despatches |
Major General Edmund Charles Beard, CB, CBE, MC (21 April 1894 – 20 January 1974) was a British Army officer during the First and Second World Wars and in 1946 was aide-de-camp to the king, George VI.
Military career
Educated at Marlborough and Oxford University, Beard was commissioned in the Royal Irish Regiment in 1914.[1] He served in the First World War at Gallipoli and in Salonika, Palestine and in France.[1] He was Mentioned in Despatches, wounded and awarded the Military Cross in 1917.[1]
Beard transferred to the Prince of Wales's Volunteers in 1922.[1] He was a staff captain in India for the next four years and attended the Staff College, Camberley from 1927 to 1928.[1] He served on the staff of Southern Command and then became Brigade Major for 9th Infantry Brigade in 1930 and then from 1933 served on the staff at the War Office.[1] He transferred to the Duke of Wellington's Regiment in 1937 and commanded the 1st Battalion in 1939.[1]
Beard became Assistant Adjutant and Quarter Master General with the 44th Division in France with the British Expeditionary Force.[1] He became commander of the 133rd Infantry Brigade in England in 1940 and, promoted on 1 October 1940, with seniority backdated to 1 July 1938, to colonel,[2] became Brigadier General Staff Home Forces in 1942.[1] Promoted to major general in 1942, he held area command in India until 1946 when he retired from the army.[1]
Beard was Colonel of the South Lancashire Regiment from 1948 to 1957.[1]
His portrait as a major general is in the National Portrait Gallery in London[3]
References
Bibliography
- Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1844150496.
External links
- Use dmy dates from April 2012
- 1974 deaths
- 1894 births
- British Army generals of World War II
- British Army personnel of World War I
- Royal Irish Regiment (1684–1922) officers
- South Lancashire Regiment officers
- Duke of Wellington's Regiment officers
- People educated at Marlborough College
- Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley
- Companions of the Order of the Bath
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Recipients of the Military Cross