Robert Walter Beames (1901 - 1942)

Born 20 Nov 1901 in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 40 in At Sea

Biography

Robert Beames was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Robert Beames died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Robert was born in 1901 at Warnambool, VIC, the son of Arthur Walter and Mary Ann Beames.

In Jan 1940 he pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly at Shepparton, VIC and was released without penalty.^[1]

In Mar 1940 he failed in an attempt to save a drowning woman at Shepparton, VIC, almost drowning himself.^[2]

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Royal Park, Melbourne, VIC on 22 Jun 1940 as a Private (VX33887). At the time he was single, a labourer and had no fixed abode. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes. He claimed to 34 but was 38.

He was initially identified for 2/11th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Engineers, but was sent to the 12th Infantry Training Depot at Mt Martha, VIC. From there he went to 5th AIF Depot at Colac, VIC and then to 2/22nd Training Bn at Bendigo, VIC on 23 Sep 1940.

He was posted to 2/22nd Bn at Bonegilla, VIC on 07 Jan 1941.

He entrained in Victoria on 10 Apr 1941 for Sydney where he embarked on 12 Apr 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea, disembarking there on 26 Apr 1941. His Bn was to form the core of "Lark Force" for the defence of the Territory.

After the Japanese invasion on 23 Jan 1942 he was captured on the Wide Bay coast and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. Japanese records have him as a member of the machine gun Coy.

He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.

Sources

1. ↑ TWENTY-ONE CHARGES ON MONDAY’S COURT LIST (1940, January 26). Shepparton Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 - 1953), p. 7. Retrieved June 4, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article174610080
2. ↑ DROWNING TRAGEDY DESCRIBED AT INQUEST (1940, March 15). Shepparton Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 - 1953), p. 10. Retrieved June 4, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article174611544

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 30772 / 1901; Family name: BEAMES; Given name(s): Robt Walt; Place of event: WBOOL, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Mary Ann; Mother's family name at birth: PRIMMER; Father's Name: Arth Walt

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BEAMES ROBERT : Service Number - VX33887 : Date of birth - 20 Nov 1904 : Place of birth - WARRNABOOL VIC : Place of enlistment - ROYAL PARK VIC : Next of Kin - POWELL PEARL - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6212960

• Deaths On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, November 29). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 4. Retrieved June 4, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245667567

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1686714

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615360/beames,-robert/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/619433

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/beames-robert/