Major Seymour James Gordon Beaumont 101st Indian Grenadiers 1920
In memory of
Seymour James Gordon
Beaumont
Major the 101st Grenadiers
Indian Army
Jan.2nd 1882 - May 18th 1920
___________________
God Bless Him
Not mentioned on the Mundesley Roll of Honour
BEAUMONT, S J B
Rank:……………………………..Major
Date of Death:…………………….18/05/1920
Regiment:…………………………101st Indian Grenadiers
Grave Reference
North-West corner.
Cemetery
MUNDESLEY (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD
CWGC www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2928452/BEAUMONT,%20S...
No match on Soldiers who died in the Great War Database.
No match on Norlink.
There is no obvious records for a Seymour Beaumont on the Geners Re-united transcriptions of the census for England and Wales of 1891, 1901 and 1911.
His Medal Index Card, in the name of SJB Beaumont, only lists him as Major 101st Grenadiers.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7...
Entries I could trace in the London Gazette.
3rd December 1901
The Cheshire Regiment. Lieutenant Seymour James Gordon Beaumont from 4th Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment, in succession to Lieutenant F C P Williams Freeman, promoted into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27382/pages/8565
12th June 1906
Lieutenant Seymour James Gordon Beaumont, 101st Grenadiers, from the Cheshire Regiment. Dated 23rd November 1905 but to rank from the 1st September 1904.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27921/pages/4078
27th September 1910
Lieutenant Seymour S G Beaumont is granted the local rank of Captain while employed with the Malay States Guides. Dated 19th July 1910.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28419/pages/6842
2nd November 1917
Captains to be Majors
Seymour James Gordon Beaumont. 101st Grenadiers. Effective 4th December 1916.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30365/pages/11362
Other sources
The following piece appeared in the Social and Personal Column of the “The Straits Times”, dated 3rd January 1912.
The Perak Pioneer of the December 29 says that a large and fashionable company of guests assembled yesterday in the Church of All Saints, Taiping, for the very pretty wedding of Miss Mabel Dickenson de Rees, daughter of the late Mr J de Rees, of Glentworth in the County of Monmouth, and Captain Seymour Wentworth, of the 101st Grenadiers, Indian Army, and the Malay State Guides, only son of Doctor Beaumont of Hayes, Mouth Bath, for many years of Epsom, Surrey.
newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19120103-1...
(Which makes some sense of Seymour originally being an Officer of the Territorial Battalion of the East Surreys)
101st Grenadiers
In 1901 the Regiment deployed to the British territory of Aden (now part of the Yemen), also having its name changed to the 1st Grenadier Bombay Infantry. In 1903 the Regiment was renumbered to become the 101st Grenadiers. Elements of the Regiment saw service during operations in 1902–05 to quell an uprising by Dervishes, led by Mohammad bin Abdullah Hassan (known to the British as the 'Mad Mullah'). During operations in Somliland, Captain George Murray Rolland won the Victoria Cross (VC) for his actions at Daratoleh on 22 April 1903. The operations against the 'Mad Mullah' did not conclude until 1905 with the signing of a peace agreement—the Mullah gained some territory in Italian Somaliland. The Mullah reneged on this agreement when he resumed hostilities against the British in 1907, and would continue to do so until 1920.
The First World War began in August 1914, a war that pitted the British Empire, France and their Allies against Germany and its allies. During the conflict, the Regiment saw service in Africa and the Middle East. The 101st raised a 2nd Battalion in 1917 which saw service in Egypt; it was disbanded in 1921.
The Regiment took part in operations in German East Africa from the beginning of the campaign there in November 1914. There, the British encountered a formidable opponent in the form of Paul Erich von Lettow-Vorbeck. The 101st took part in the initial landings and the Battle of Tanga, a German victory, that saw the British and Indian forces, including the 101st, sustain significant casualties that compelled them to retreat back to their ships. In January 1915, a company of the 101st took part in the Battle of Jassin that saw both sides sustain heavy casualties which compelled von Lettow-Vorbeck to avoid pitched battles with the British forces. Due to this defeat, the British garrison in Jassin surrendered, after no relief force had arrived, with nearly 300 British and Indians troops taken prisoner, including the company of the 101st, but were subsequently released on parole with the pledge that they would have no further participation in the war.
One company of the Regiment acted with the 5th Light Infantry in another attempt to capture Tanga in July 1916. The port—which had, for the most part, been abandoned—was, indeed, successfully captured. Some of von Lettow-Vorbeck's forces had remained to snipe at the Indian forces; these snipers proved to be quite a deadly nuisance that required intense patrolling to remove the threat. For the Regiment's involvement in the campaign it was awarded the Theatre Honour "East Africa 1914–16".
The 101st later saw service in the Middle East in the Palestine theatre – this theatre was the second largest, in terms of troop numbers, after the Western Front. Their opposition was the Ottoman Empire that controlled Palestine, and was an ally of Germany. The Regiment took part in the attempts to capture the important port of Gaza and by the end of December 1917 the Allies were in control of much of Palestine, including the symbolic capture of Jerusalem. In July 1918 the Regiment took part in the Ghurabeh raid that saw intense fighting and over 100 Ottomans taken prisoner. The Regiment later took part in the Megiddo Offensive – the World War I equivalent of the German Blitzkrieg during World War II – and took part in the attempts to capture Nablus. The Ottomans signed an Armistice with the Allies on 30 October. The First World War finally ended on 11 November 1918 with the signing of the Armistice between the Allies and Germany.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101st_Grenadiers
He is listed as one of the Officers of the Regiment killed in the Great War in the Church of St Mary, Pune.
www.stmaryschurchpune.org/Archives.html
Possible implications of the Medal Index card stating he was a Major when he first entered a Theatre of War:-
- He was already an acting Major at the outbreak of war and travelled with the 101st to serve in East Africa. The confirmation of his promotion in 1916 in the London Gazette merely confirmed his de facto rank.
- He travelled to join his unit after December 1916, probably joining up with them on their way to serve in the Palestine campaign.
- He helped form the 2nd Battalion of the 101st and then travelled with them to serve in the Palestine campaign.
And of course, none of the above !
More information is probably available in the regimental history, “The 101st Grenadiers: Historical Record of the Regiment, 1778-1923” published by Gale & Polden in 1928, but unfortunately there is currently no online copy.
books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_101st_Grenadiers.html?...
Major Seymour James Gordon Beaumont 101st Indian Grenadiers 1920
In memory of
Seymour James Gordon
Beaumont
Major the 101st Grenadiers
Indian Army
Jan.2nd 1882 - May 18th 1920
___________________
God Bless Him
Not mentioned on the Mundesley Roll of Honour
BEAUMONT, S J B
Rank:……………………………..Major
Date of Death:…………………….18/05/1920
Regiment:…………………………101st Indian Grenadiers
Grave Reference
North-West corner.
Cemetery
MUNDESLEY (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD
CWGC www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2928452/BEAUMONT,%20S...
No match on Soldiers who died in the Great War Database.
No match on Norlink.
There is no obvious records for a Seymour Beaumont on the Geners Re-united transcriptions of the census for England and Wales of 1891, 1901 and 1911.
His Medal Index Card, in the name of SJB Beaumont, only lists him as Major 101st Grenadiers.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7...
Entries I could trace in the London Gazette.
3rd December 1901
The Cheshire Regiment. Lieutenant Seymour James Gordon Beaumont from 4th Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment, in succession to Lieutenant F C P Williams Freeman, promoted into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27382/pages/8565
12th June 1906
Lieutenant Seymour James Gordon Beaumont, 101st Grenadiers, from the Cheshire Regiment. Dated 23rd November 1905 but to rank from the 1st September 1904.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/27921/pages/4078
27th September 1910
Lieutenant Seymour S G Beaumont is granted the local rank of Captain while employed with the Malay States Guides. Dated 19th July 1910.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28419/pages/6842
2nd November 1917
Captains to be Majors
Seymour James Gordon Beaumont. 101st Grenadiers. Effective 4th December 1916.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30365/pages/11362
Other sources
The following piece appeared in the Social and Personal Column of the “The Straits Times”, dated 3rd January 1912.
The Perak Pioneer of the December 29 says that a large and fashionable company of guests assembled yesterday in the Church of All Saints, Taiping, for the very pretty wedding of Miss Mabel Dickenson de Rees, daughter of the late Mr J de Rees, of Glentworth in the County of Monmouth, and Captain Seymour Wentworth, of the 101st Grenadiers, Indian Army, and the Malay State Guides, only son of Doctor Beaumont of Hayes, Mouth Bath, for many years of Epsom, Surrey.
newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19120103-1...
(Which makes some sense of Seymour originally being an Officer of the Territorial Battalion of the East Surreys)
101st Grenadiers
In 1901 the Regiment deployed to the British territory of Aden (now part of the Yemen), also having its name changed to the 1st Grenadier Bombay Infantry. In 1903 the Regiment was renumbered to become the 101st Grenadiers. Elements of the Regiment saw service during operations in 1902–05 to quell an uprising by Dervishes, led by Mohammad bin Abdullah Hassan (known to the British as the 'Mad Mullah'). During operations in Somliland, Captain George Murray Rolland won the Victoria Cross (VC) for his actions at Daratoleh on 22 April 1903. The operations against the 'Mad Mullah' did not conclude until 1905 with the signing of a peace agreement—the Mullah gained some territory in Italian Somaliland. The Mullah reneged on this agreement when he resumed hostilities against the British in 1907, and would continue to do so until 1920.
The First World War began in August 1914, a war that pitted the British Empire, France and their Allies against Germany and its allies. During the conflict, the Regiment saw service in Africa and the Middle East. The 101st raised a 2nd Battalion in 1917 which saw service in Egypt; it was disbanded in 1921.
The Regiment took part in operations in German East Africa from the beginning of the campaign there in November 1914. There, the British encountered a formidable opponent in the form of Paul Erich von Lettow-Vorbeck. The 101st took part in the initial landings and the Battle of Tanga, a German victory, that saw the British and Indian forces, including the 101st, sustain significant casualties that compelled them to retreat back to their ships. In January 1915, a company of the 101st took part in the Battle of Jassin that saw both sides sustain heavy casualties which compelled von Lettow-Vorbeck to avoid pitched battles with the British forces. Due to this defeat, the British garrison in Jassin surrendered, after no relief force had arrived, with nearly 300 British and Indians troops taken prisoner, including the company of the 101st, but were subsequently released on parole with the pledge that they would have no further participation in the war.
One company of the Regiment acted with the 5th Light Infantry in another attempt to capture Tanga in July 1916. The port—which had, for the most part, been abandoned—was, indeed, successfully captured. Some of von Lettow-Vorbeck's forces had remained to snipe at the Indian forces; these snipers proved to be quite a deadly nuisance that required intense patrolling to remove the threat. For the Regiment's involvement in the campaign it was awarded the Theatre Honour "East Africa 1914–16".
The 101st later saw service in the Middle East in the Palestine theatre – this theatre was the second largest, in terms of troop numbers, after the Western Front. Their opposition was the Ottoman Empire that controlled Palestine, and was an ally of Germany. The Regiment took part in the attempts to capture the important port of Gaza and by the end of December 1917 the Allies were in control of much of Palestine, including the symbolic capture of Jerusalem. In July 1918 the Regiment took part in the Ghurabeh raid that saw intense fighting and over 100 Ottomans taken prisoner. The Regiment later took part in the Megiddo Offensive – the World War I equivalent of the German Blitzkrieg during World War II – and took part in the attempts to capture Nablus. The Ottomans signed an Armistice with the Allies on 30 October. The First World War finally ended on 11 November 1918 with the signing of the Armistice between the Allies and Germany.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101st_Grenadiers
He is listed as one of the Officers of the Regiment killed in the Great War in the Church of St Mary, Pune.
www.stmaryschurchpune.org/Archives.html
Possible implications of the Medal Index card stating he was a Major when he first entered a Theatre of War:-
- He was already an acting Major at the outbreak of war and travelled with the 101st to serve in East Africa. The confirmation of his promotion in 1916 in the London Gazette merely confirmed his de facto rank.
- He travelled to join his unit after December 1916, probably joining up with them on their way to serve in the Palestine campaign.
- He helped form the 2nd Battalion of the 101st and then travelled with them to serve in the Palestine campaign.
And of course, none of the above !
More information is probably available in the regimental history, “The 101st Grenadiers: Historical Record of the Regiment, 1778-1923” published by Gale & Polden in 1928, but unfortunately there is currently no online copy.
books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_101st_Grenadiers.html?...