Rifleman John Beeley

1st Battalion The King's Royal Rifle Corps

Born: 8 February 1918, Lower Openshaw, Manchester.

Died: 21 November 1941. KIA Sidi Rezegh Airfield, Libya.

Buried: Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya. Plot X. Row E. Grave 4.
Headstone.

Enlisted: 4 August 1938.

CITATION

On the 21st November 1941, during the attack at Sidi Rezegh, North Africa, against a strong enemy position, the company to which Rifleman Beeley belonged was pinned down by heavy fire at point-blank range from the front and flank on the flat, open ground of the aerodrome. All the officers but one of the company and many of the other ranks had been either killed or wounded. On his own initiative, and when there was no sort of cover, Rifleman Beeley got to his feet carrying a Bren gun and ran forward towards a strong enemy post containing an anti-tank gun. The post was silenced and Rifleman Beeley's platoon was enabled to advance, but Rifleman Beely fell dead across his gun, hit in at least four places.