Sergeant Samuel Beckett.
8952 2nd East Lancashire Regiment.
Killed in Action 5th April 1917. Aged 28.
Samuel was born in the March quarter 1889, Preston, Lancs., The son of James and Alice Beckett. In the 1901 census the three of them were living at 110 Todmorden Rd., Burnley (next door to William Aspinall who was killed 29th July 1916).
Samuel was in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Hound, Near Southampton when the 1911 census was taken on the 2nd April, being a soldier. Later before the end of June that year he married Mary Jane Grimes in Burnley.
From the Burnley Express dated 28th Nov. 1914: A SMALL PIECE. BURNLEY MAN AND HIS WOUND.
L/Cpl Sam Beckett of the first East Lancashire Regiment, writing to his parents on Tuesday from the 4th Northern General Hospital Lincoln, says: "you will remember me telling you that I made the Germans run at Mon's and that they could not catch me, but I shall have to admit now that they have caught me at last. It happened 15 days ago at Ypres, but they only got a small piece of me, the small finger of my left hand. It is rather warm at Ypres at present. It gets very trying during the wet weather as the trenches are at least a foot deep in slush.
The Germans don't take the slightest notice of the Red Cross. Many of our stretcher bearers have been snipped whilst carrying wounded away. When we do any moving we do it at night, as a rule with fixed bayonets. No more "coal boxes" for a few weeks at any rate. I would not mind so much, but they throw them down sore noisily instead of gently and disturb your sleep. Talk about the knocker up; he isn't in it."
lance corporal Beckett's wife wrote many times whilst he was at the front and also sent several registered letters, but he never received any of them. He has received letters from her at Lincoln hospital.
From the Burnley news dated 12th December 1914: BURNLEY SOLDIER AND EAST LANCASHIRES' GALLANTRY.
Lance Corporal Samuel Beckett son of PC Beckett of the Burnley police force, has returned to his home in Temple Street, invalided. He rejoined the 1st Battalion East Lancs regiment as a reservist on the Outbreak of War and was in the retreat from Mons. During trench fighting at Ypres his little finger was blown off by a German sniper and it was in consequence of this injury that he was invalided home.
Lance Corporal Beckett gives a graphic account of the manner in which the battle is now waging around it. After a certain regiment had been driven out of their trenches these were retaken by the East Lancs at the point of the bayonet, for which feat they received the thanks of the officer in command. This charge took place about midnight on November 11th, and Captain Cain was killed and Major Lambert wounded. Sergeant Barnes a Burnley non-commissioned officer, survived the bayonet charge, but the following night he and Sergeant Chick Brennan, another Burnley-man, were killed in the trenches by explosive bombs. Lance Corporal Becket was wounded on November 14th. He states that in the trenches they experienced great difficulty in obtaining water and at night there is a call for volunteers, who in the dark have to run The Gauntlet of the German fire in getting to the nearest pump. Two men went each night and between them they had 18 water bottles to carry. The enemy had a Maxim gun trained on the pump, and if the soldiers ventured out for water before it was dark they were spotted and went under. At intervals the maximum went off in the hope of catching someone at the pump, and if the gun ripped off the soldiers duct. Lance Corporal Beckett had been on this perilous journey on a few occasions and on one occasion the Maxim gun opened fire and he lay in the side of the road until the Germans were tired. The Germans went to another pump, and if they went in the daytime they got sniped.
From the Burnley Express dated 12th Dec 1914: TRENCH WARFARE- BURNLEY LANCE CORPORAL'S EXPERIENCES.
On November 28th we released an account of how Lance Corporal Beckett of Burnley, of the 1st East Lancashire Regiment, was wounded at Ypres, and also gave a photograph of him. Lance Corporal Beckett has now returned home from the Lincoln hospital with a finger blown off. To a press representative he has a describe how some trenches were taken at the point of a bayonet by the East Lancashire’s, after another regiment had been driven out, the general in command thanking them for their feat. This charge took place about midnight on November 11th and Captain Cain was killed and Major Lambert wounded. 3 days later Lance Corporal Beckett sustained his injury. His regiment suffered heavily. It marched out of Colchester, 1200 strong, but the losses in killed, wounded and captured had reduced this number on November 14th to not more than 300. Sergeant Barnes, a Burnley non-commissioned officer, survived the bayonet charge mentioned, but was killed in the trenches by explosive bombs the following night, along with Sgt "Chick" Brennan another Burnley man. These trench bombs, about 18 inches long fired off a springboard from the German trenches 50 yards away and one of them had buried 14 men. The British soldiers called them "undertakers" because they not only killed them but buried them as well. The British replied to the German bombs with smaller bombs, which would account for three or four men. Regarding the difficulty of getting water in the trenches, Cpl Beckett said each night volunteers will called for, and in the dark they ran the Gauntlet of the German fire to the nearest source of supply. He described the Germans as poor at bayonet work and the allies always had plenty of warning of a contemplated charge, because of the appeals of the German officers to their men, who had either to go forward with the bayonet or be fired on by machine guns placed behind them. "All we want in the trenches now," concluded the Cpl "is more than."
From the Burnley News dated April 1917: FOUGHT AT MONS - BURNLEY SERGEANT KILLED BY A SHELL
Sergeant Samuel Beckett, 2nd East Lancashire Regiment, whose wife resides at 12, Celia Street, Burnley is reported to have been killed in action on April 5th. He is the only son of P.C. Beckett, of the Burnley Police Force, and Mrs. Beckett, of 26, Linden Street, Burnley. Two letters conveying sad news to his wife were received from officers of the regiment. Captain J. Dawson wrote:
“I deeply regret to inform you that your dear husband, Sergeant Beckett, of the 2nd East Lancs. Regt., was killed on the afternoon of the 5th inst. He had gone forward, together with two men, to visit a post in our outpost line, and they were all evidently hit by a shell, as we afterwards found them lying in a shell hole. Your husband did not belong to my company, but was attached for duty. He was a good, brave man, and I had a good deal of confidence in him. The loss will be felt by all in the battle platoon of which he was in charge, and it will be difficult to replace him. I am forwarding to you a couple of pocket books found on him. One of them contained a lot of photos, all of which are marked by pieces of shell. Together with his comrades I offer you our deepest sympathy in your sad loss.”
Second Lieutenant Richard wrote :
“I regret very much to inform you that you husband was killed yesterday. I hope it will be some slight comfort to you to know that he was killed instantly by a shell. His loss is a great blow to the officers and men of this regiment, and personally I feel as if I had lost one of my best friends. His absolute disregard for danger and his extreme cheerfulness never failed to keep up our spirits, even in the most adverse circumstances, and he won the respect and admiration of all those with whom he came into contact. I would like to offer you the deepest sympathy of those who served with him and under him.”
Sergeant Beckett was called up as a reservist at the outbreak of the war, and he took part in the retreat from Mons. The following November he was wounded at Ypres, losing his left little finger. In December, 1914, he was home on leave, and later returned to the front. He joined the regular army about eight years ago, and served nearly three years in India. When he was called up in August 1914, he was working at Towneley Pit. He was a member of the Men’s Sodality of St. Mary’s R. C. Church, and was an instructor to the Boy’s Brigade. Sergeant Beckett was held in the highest esteem, and the news of his death will be received with keen regret by his numerous friends. Sincere sympathy will be felt for his widow and parents.
From the Burnley Express dated 28th April 1917: THREE TIMES IN DISPATCHES.
Official news as this week reach Mrs Beckett, of 12 Celia Street Burnley, of the death in Action of her husband Sgt 8952 Sam Beckett of the East Lancashire Regiment. Mrs Beckett had previously had news of her husband's fate from 3 officers. The first letter to arrive was dated April 6th and came from Captain Dawson who stated: " I deeply regret to inform you that your husband was killed in action on the afternoon of the 5th. he had gone forward together with two men to visit a post in our outpost line, and they were all evidently killed by a shell, as we afterwards found them lying in a shell hole. Your husband did not belong to my company, what was attached for duty. He was a good,brave man, and I had a good deal of confidence in him. Lieutenant Duffy Road: "he was a brave soldier and very popular with all ranks. I personally feel his loss very greatly." Second Lieutenant P. Richards dated: "I hope it will be some slight comfort to you to know that he was killed instantly by a shell. His loss is a great blow to all the officers and Men of this regiment and personally I feel as if I had lost one of my best friends. His absolute disregard of danger and his extreme cheerfulness never failed to keep up all our spirits even under the most dangerous circumstances he won the respect and admiration of all those with whom he came in contact."
Sergeant Beckett, who was the son of PC Beckett of the Burnley police force, was well known in the village District, where is parents and family resident. The sergeant, who was aged 28 years married having three children, had been in army life 10 years. It will be just 6 years tomorrow since he returned from India in consequence of a broken leg. He was called up at the beginning of the war as a reservist, being then a drawer in Towneley Pit, though formerly he had been a tram conductor. As a Private he went through the retreat of Mons and in Nov 1914, whilst a L/Cpl, he was struck whilst in the vicinity of Ypres by a piece of shell, which caused the loss of the small finger of his left hand. He was home in December 1914 and on his return eventually rose to the rank of Sergeant. He was last home on furlough nearly a year ago. Has he accepted the commission offered him three months ago he would have doubtless been alive now. Exactly a year ago from the day he was killed he was commended for Gallant Behaviour and presence of mind under very trying circumstances during heavy bombardment with aerial torpedoes, and a short time before his death he was again commended for bravery. He had been three times mentioned in dispatches. Sgt Becket was a member of the men's sodality of St Mary's and also an instructor to the Catholic Boys Brigade. Mrs Beckett has received her husband's pocket Books, and one of these containing a number of photographs, has been perforated by a shrapnell bullet, which afterwards struck a medallion.
His wife's three brothers are in the army,, trooper John Grimes, of the 4th Dragoon Guards having been a prisoner in Germany since August 26th 1914. Corporal R Grimes went out to France with the utility Motors, and has been there ever since: and Private A Grimes of the Border Regt. has been in France since the fall of Antwerp.
Lived at 12 Celia Street
Samuel is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France: Pier and face 6C.
Photo courtesy of George Coppock 2024