Samuel's Story.
Birkenhead News 17 November 1917D.C.M. AND M.M. HERO KILLED.
Birkenhead, and especially the South-end residents, will regret to hear of the death in action of one of its hero’s, news having been received by Mrs. Beech, of 9, Nelson Road, Rock Ferry, that her eldest son, Corpl. Samuel Beech, R.F.A., D.C.M., and M.M. winner, has been killed in action. In a letter received from his officer he states that Corpl. Beech, who had been wounded, was taking cover with some comrades in a derelict tank, when a shell from the enemy made a direct hit on the tank and killed four of its occupants and wounded three others, Corporal Beech being one of the unfortunate four that had been killed. This young hero was only 22 years of age, and was an old scholar of Port Sunlight Schools. At the outbreak of war he was with his battery in India and was quickly drafted out to France in 1914, and he had been through all the fighting that has taken place during the past three years.
He had won the D.C.M. and also the Military Medal. The brave act for which the D.C.M. was awarded was for mending telephone wires under terrific shell and rifle fire. That was in 1915. Since then the Military Medal was bestowed on this hero for bringing in a wounded officer under heavy fire from the enemy. Only a week or so ago Mrs. Beech received word from her son asking her to make arrangements for him to be publicly presented with his medals, as he was due home on leave this month. Every sympathy will go to Mrs. Beech, who is a widow with young children, in the sad loss she has sustained. Another son of Mrs. Beech’s is in the Navy, after having served in the 4th Cheshires, at the landing at Suvla Bay, when he was 15 years of age.