Private John Beavers
John Beavers was born on 1 February 1893 at Shanmoy, Dungannon, County Tyrone, the fifth of nine children of farmer James Beavers and his wife Elizabeth (née Black). He served two years as a grocer's apprentice in Dungannon before returning to the farm, and at some point enlisted in the Scottish Fusiliers, serving for just two weeks before his father purchased his discharge. By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Shanmoy with his parents and six siblings and working on the family farm.
John and his brothers were said to be part of a "notorious gang of hooligans" in the Eglish district. The Londonderry Sentinel of 28 January 1911, under the headline Juvenile Terrorists in Tyrone, reported that Beavers, two of his brothers and five others were tried for:
... cheering and shouting at Stilloga, Eglish, on the 16th December last, and throwing missiles at Rev. Mr. Hughes, P.P., of Eglish, and Alexander Millar, of Derryfubble, who had declined to prosecute. ...
District Inspector Munro said that a gang of hooligans, known as the "Shammoy Brigade," carried on in a disgraceful manner at each Catch-My-Pal [temperance] meeting in Eglish, and annoying the passersby. He was prepared to give evidence of a state of terrorism which was so great that he found it absolutely impossible to get statements from the witnesses. It appeared that Rev. Mr. Hughes became annoyed at the boys yelling at him, and told them to go home for a pack of clowns. They threw mud at him, and followed Millar, throwing mud at him and some ladies in his company.
The case was dismissed, with the defendants bound over to keep the peace.
Beavers enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Dungannon on 24 February 1914 (No.909). Mobilised at the beginning of the war, he was found temporarily unfit, and was not able to join the regiment until 1 November 1914. Eleven days later, however, he was admitted to Belfast Military Hospital suffering from myalgia – "suffers from pains all over body & limbs. Cannot move or make the slightest exertion."
A medical board found Beavers unfit for further military service and recommended his discharge, which took place on 28 November 1914 (paragraph 154(xi), Special Reserve Regulations). His military character was recorded as 'very good'.
After his discharge Beavers returned to farming at Shanmoy. It seems that he recovered his physical strength, for the Northern Whig of 14 March 1918 reported that he was one of a number of men tried for attacking a wedding party at Eglish, during which the bride was knocked to the ground and kicked unconscious, her father was assaulted with a shovel, and much of their property was damaged. Alibis for the defendants were produced and the charges were dismissed, with the magistrates 'strongly disapproving' of the conduct.
In 1921 Beavers joined the 'B' Specials, and in May that year was court-martialled and fined for "having arms and ammunition not under effective military control".