Alister Beal
Alister Beal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 21 March 1875 Glamis, Forfarshire, Scotland |
| Died | 18 October 1962 (aged 87) Bromley, Kent, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1888–1926 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Commands | HMS Weymouth HMS Chatham New Zealand Division |
| Battles / wars | World War I Battle of Durazzo (1918) |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Silver Medal of Military Valor (Italy) Officer of the Legion of Honour (France) |
Vice Admiral Alister Francis Beal CB CMG DSO (21 March 1875 – 18 October 1962) was a Royal Navy officer who became Commodore Commanding the New Zealand Division.
Naval career
[edit]Beal joined the Royal Navy as a 13-year-old on 15 July 1888.[1] He was commissioned as a midshipman in 1894[2] and served in World War I becoming commanding officer of the cruiser HMS Weymouth in February 1918[3] and being awarded the DSO for his services at the bombardment of Durazzo in October 1918.[4]
He went on to Command HMS Chatham (which had been lent to the New Zealand Station) in July 1923[3] before becoming Commodore Commanding the New Zealand Division in August 1923 until he retired in 1926.[5] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1926 King's Birthday Honours[6] and promoted to Vice-Admiral while on the retired list.[7]
Beal was appointed as an Officer of the French Legion of Honour while serving on HMS Weymouth. He was awarded the Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor for operations at Durazzo on 2 October 1918.[8]
Family
[edit]He was married to Mabel Constance Annie Youl.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ Royal Naval Officers' Service Records Index, 1756-1931
- ^ "No. 26667". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 October 1895. p. 5406.
- ^ a b Royal Navy Warships Archived 15 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "No. 31236". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 March 1919. p. 3589.
- ^ Senior Royal Navy Appointments Archived 15 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "No. 33179". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 July 1926. p. 4403.
- ^ "Royal Navy Flag Officers 1904-1945". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- ^ "No. 31130". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 January 1919. p. 886.
- ^ Marriages Sydney Morning Herald, 13 August 1926
- 1875 births
- 1962 deaths
- Royal Navy vice admirals
- Companions of the Order of the Bath
- Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Recipients of the Silver Medal of Military Valor
- Officers of the Legion of Honour
- Military personnel from Angus, Scotland
- Royal Navy officers of World War I
- 19th-century Royal Navy personnel