Private Harold Beattie

 

Harold Beattie was born on 27 April 1884 at 29 Fairview Terrace, Belfast, the sixth of nine children of druggist's assistant John Beattie and his wife Ann Jane (née Morrison). At the time of the 1901 Census he was living at 73 Castlereagh Street, Belfast, with his parents and four of his siblings.

Beattie enlisted in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Belfast on 3 June 1902 (No.7247). On 18 September 1902 at Enniskillen he was admonished for being drunk in barracks at tattoo. Posted to the 2nd Battalion, he served in South Africa from 9 April 1903 and Egypt from 9 November 1903. At Cairo on 17 December 1903 he was awarded eight days' confined to barracks for being absent from 12 midnight until found drunk in town, when employed as a telephone operator.

Beattie returned to the UK on 1 February 1905. There he was transferred to the 1st Class of the Army Reserve, Section B. On 2 June 1914 he was discharged on the termination of his twelve years' engagement.

On 21 April 1908 Beattie had married Anne Kirkpatrick in the All Souls Church in Belfast. At the time he was living at 41 Eason Street and working as a clerk. The couple had four children over the next six years. At the time of the 1911 Census they were living at 3 Roxburgh Street. They later moved to 21 Epworth Street.

Beattie enlisted in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron between 12 and 14 November 1914 (No. UD/139). On 6 October 1915 he embarked for France with his squadron, which was then serving as divisional cavalry to the 36th (Ulster) Division.

On 2 May 1916 Beattie and three other men of the squadron were sent to the 36th Divisional Signal Company for a course in visual signalling.

In June 1916 the Inniskilling squadron had joined with C and F Squadrons of the North Irish Horse to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to X Corps. In August-September 1917 the Regiment was disbanded and its men, following training at the 36th (Ulster) Division Infantry Base Depot at Harfleur, were transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, an infantry regiment. Most, including Beattie, were transferred on 20 September and posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt. Beattie was issued regimental number 41124 and was posted to A Company.

He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917.

Beattie was wounded, probably between 21 and 28 March 1918 during the 9th (NIH) Battalion's fighting withdrawal from St Quentin in the German spring offensive. He was wounded again, in the back, during a successful attack on German positions in the Ypres sector on 24 August. The battalion diary for the day described the action as follows:

2.30am. Enemy re-opened shelling on left for an hour. Our front was very quiet. The morning opened dull and rain fell. Three of our planes flew over the line and one enemy. At 7am the Companies were in position, A on left, B in centre and D on right. Our barrage opened with machine gun fire and trench mortars. After one minute the artillery barrage started and the Companies moved forward to the attack. After a few minutes the enemy put up lights which were replied to by artillery fire. This fell first upon the 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers front but then worked across our own, the shelling being particularly heavy in S.2.d central. Some of our own 18-pounder shells fell very short at S.2.d.80.50. Our smoke barrage was not very heavy, especially on the right. The enemy seemed to be taken by surprise and were more inclined to run than fight. The objectives were reached without much opposition. A and D overran their objectives and had to retire to conform with the line. 'A' Company put up white Very light at 7.20am to signal objective reached. At 8am the whole objective was taken and consolidation was carried on until 10am. C Company followed on behind B and D as second wave and mopped up. They also helped in consolidation, after which three Platoons came back to our old front line trench as support Company while the other Platoon stayed with B Company. At 9.30 our shelling ceased but the smoke barrage continued until 10am. The enemy artillery quietened down considerably. At 10am contact aeroplane came along while another plane dropped two boxes of Small Arms Ammunition near Soot Farm. There was slight enemy shelling throughout the day on front line area and on the Meulehouck. The 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers obtained their objective also and liaison was established along our line and with the 1st Royal Irish Rifles on our right. At 3pm our artillery opened fire on S.8.a where the enemy were reported to be massing. Enemy planes came over the line and threw out signal lights over the front line position, when the enemy shelling got heavier. At 6.30pm the enemy put down a smoke barrage behind their front line and in front of Bailleul where they were seen to mass. SOS signalled from front was not seen but one of our planes signalled, upon which our artillery opened fire. The enemy massing had, however, been broken up by Lewis Gun and rifle fire. There was slight enemy shelling during night but nothing further happened. Our own artillery put down counter-preparation at 11pm. At night the Battalion was relieved by the 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and moved into Divisional Reserve at Mont des Cats. Our total casualties in the attack were four Officers wounded, five Other Ranks killed and one believed killed, 53 Other Ranks wounded. We captured 48 prisoners including ten wounded and estimated to have killed at least 70 including one Officer.

Beattie was initially treated in the No.18 General Hospital at Camiers before being evacuated to the UK.

On 31 March 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve. He was granted a pension due to his wounds, but by 1 January 1920 his level of disability was assessed at 1 per cent.

By 1952 Beattie was living at 8 Lomond Street, Belfast, and working as a writing clerk. He died there on 24 November and was buried in the Dundonald Cemetery.

 

This page last updated 3 April 2023.