Edward Stanley Beecham
Private Beecham (Service no: 4002) was born approximately July 1898 in Corrimal, the son of Thomas Beecham.
He enlisted at the age of 18 in 1916 and both parents signed his enlistment papers. His father is listed as next of kin at Mount Kembla.
He had previously served in the Dapto Squadron of the 28th Light Horseman.
He embarked on the HMAT A40 Ceramic with 35th Battalion on 7th October, 1916 and served on the Western Front. On 12th October, 1917 he was wounded in action. He received a concussion and was evacuated to hospital in England for treatment. After this Injury he caused a considerable amount of trouble and received a number of punishments for going "away without leave" (AWOL). Terms of imprisonment were imposed upon him. On 19th February, 1918 he went AWOL from the AIF but he had enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery and went to Ireland with them. He was arrested in Dublin on 4th May, 1918 and received 100 days detention before release and return to the AIF.
He was returned to Australia on 9th December, 1918 and discharged from the AIF on 30th March, 1918.
After his discharge information of Edward's whereabouts are unknown. An Edward Stanley Beecham was reported to reside in the Hunter in the 1930's but no official documentation can confirm this is the same person.
Edward may have used the name Edward Stanley Evans (Service no: 1169) as noted in the National Archives of Australia.