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BeuteII, Robert Gerard, son of Alfred William Beutell MIEE, of Streatham, and Ida Augusta, d. of Augustus Combe Locke; b. 1 Mar. 1918; adm. Sept. 1931 (A); left July 1934; a lighting engi­neer; RAFVR 1943 (Flt Lieut.), met. branch; lost on air operations (N. Atlantic) 21 Jan. 1945.

Robert Gerard Beuttell was born in London on the 1st of March 1918 the younger son of Alfred William Beuttell MIEE, an electrical engineer and inventor, and Ida Augusta (nee Locke) Beuttell of 42, Prince of Wales Mansions, Battersea Park in London and of Malmesbury in Wiltshire. He was christened at St Paul’s Church, Chiswick on the 11th of May 1918.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1931 to July 1934. He won the Junior Toplady Prize for Scripture in 1932.
On leaving school he attended the Royal College of Science where he gained a degree in 1937 after which he went to work as a lighting engineer.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and by September 1941 he was serving as a Corporal based at the Meteorological Office at RAF Dishforth.
He wrote the following in a letter to his father on a flight he had taken in a Whitley aircraft: - "Had a wonderful flip the other day in the front turret of a Whitley, you get a wonderful view from there. Across the Pennines to the Isle of Man, up to Prestwick in Scotland and home, a 3.5 hour trip. I don't envy the AG his job, sitting in one position for hours on end, and next time I shall put on two pairs of undies, it was a bit draughty. It was a wonderful trip all the same, the high spot being when we "shot up" the beach at Prestwick. Of course it's strictly forbidden, but having experienced the thrill and irresistible amusement of it, I'd really have to forgive any culprit. Of course you are connected to all the crew the whole time by the intercommunication system, by which everybody speaks to everybody else. For the fun of coming along the shore at about 1000 ft, stuck right in the nose of the machine, then swooping to about 150 ft off the sands, then soaring up again, with the wit and cross-chat of the crew thrown in, a switch-back just doesn't compare. Then round again, "We might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. - Just one more", nose down, the sands streaking up to meet you, people gaping, scattering, ducking, - scooting along at about 50 ft, then pressed into your seat with the climb, almost aching with laughter, it was grand. Then the rather chilly trip home, though mostly in bright sunshine."
He transferred to the High Altitude Flight at Boscombe Down later the same year and collaborated with A.W. Brewer in inventing the integrating nephelometer.
He was accepted as a Metrological Observer and was commissioned with the rank of Flying Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on the 6th of March 1943, which was followed by two months of training. He was appointed as Meteorological Air Observer Leader and served briefly with 517 Squadron before being attached to the 25th Bomb Group at RAF Watton. He then joined 518 Squadron, based at RAF Tiree in Scotland and was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on the 20th of January 1944.
Robert Beutell and his crew took off from RAF Tiree at 11.53pm on the 20th of January 1945 in Halifax Mk V LL123 517/C for a long range “Bismuth” meteorological mission. Wing Commander Norman Morris, the Squadron commanding officer, was to fly as 2nd pilot and had personally selected the crew for the mission. The aircraft was to fly a triangular route to the north of RAF Tiree in order to find the depth of a deep depression. Having taken off, the aircraft flew at a height of 1,800 feet until it reached a position some 250 nautical miles to the west of Tiree where it took its first meteorological observation at 3.28am and reported its findings at 4.44am. Having flown another 350 nautical miles further out to sea, the aircraft climbed to 18,000 feet and turned to the northeast.
Due to poor reception, nothing further was received until 7.12am when the next transmission reported that the aircraft was flying at 10,500 feet and that there was a problem with the starboard engine. At 8.08am a SOS message came in from the aircraft followed by another at 8.18am, which ended suddenly after which nothing further was heard. The aircraft crashed into the sea with the loss of the entire crew.
The crew was: -
Wing Commander Norman Foster Morris (2nd Pilot)
Flight Lieutenant Arthur John Bacon (Pilot)
Flight Lieutenant Robert Gerard Beuttell (Meteorological Observer)
Flight Sergeant William Douglas Stone (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Robert Kiddle (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Rennie Arthur Loader (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Albert Howard Andrews (Flight Engineer)
Warrant Officer Anton David Anderson RAAF (Navigator/Air Bomber)

Although the wireless operator had been transmitting for ten minutes before the aircraft crashed, he did not report its position. A fix was obtained on the position where the aircraft was likely to have ditched as being approximately 59N 11-13 W. Aircraft were dispatched by 281 Squadron who searched the area for the next three days in the hope of finding survivors but, with the weather conditions being very poor, the search was abandoned at 11.14am on the 24th of January.
Robert Beuttell had written a letter to his father shortly before he was killed in which he said that he did not expect to survive the war.
A friend wrote of him: - “Gerard was an extremely gifted scientist whose important work on instruments of visual range was posthumously recognised and published. His death was a serious blow to his father, who never quite recovered his formidable drive and energy afterwards”.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Malmesbury.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 265.

Besson, Frank (Cisco), son of Anthony and Martha Besson, of London; b. Dec. 16, 1895; adm. April 28, 1910 (R); left Dec. 1914; Flight Sub-Lieut. R.N.A.S. Dec. 21, 1914; gazetted after his death Lieut. Jan. 1, 1916; served at Dunkirk Aug. 1915; went out to the Dardanelles Sept. 9, 1915; drowned off the Gallipoli Peninsula whilst on reconnaisance patrol, his machine being brought down in the sea by the enemy, and his observer captured, Dec. 20, 1915; unm.

Béranger, Stewart Charles Walsh, son of Henri Lucien Béranger of Paris, and Marguerite Louisa Minnie, d. of Lionel George Lawrence Walsh; b. 19 June 1917; adm. Sept. 1930 (A); left Apr. 1935; enlisted in 206th Infantry Regt, French Army; p.o.w.; killed while attempting to escape 21 May 1944.

Stewart Charles Walsh Béranger was born at Kensington, London on the 19th of June 1917 the only son of Henri Lucien “Harry” Béranger, an architect, and Marguerite Louisa Minnie (nee Walsh) Béranger of 62, Philbeach Gardens, Earls Court in London. He was christened at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton on the 30th of July 1917. He was educated at Westminster School on an Exhibition where he was up Ashburnham from September 1930 to April 1935. He played of part of Sidney Gibson in the farce “The Private Secretary” at the Westminster Theatre on the 29th of July 1933. He was a member of the Chess team and of the 1st Football XI from 1932 to 1935, where he played as goalkeeper and continued to play in the same position for the Old Westminsters XI. The Elizabethan wrote the following on his 1932/33 football season: - “Emerged from obscurity and from his very first game showed high promise of becoming a great goalkeeper. He has a fine sense of position, good hands and is very reliable. Does not yet punt the ball very well.”
On leaving school he moved to Paris as a student and lived at 89, Rue de Lille.
On the outbreak of war, he enlisted in the 206th Infantry Regiment, French Army in 1939 and was captured at the fall of France in June 1940.
He was interned in a labour camp at Bruck sur la Mur where he was shot and killed while attempting to escape.
His father donated £100 towards the Westminster School war memorial appeal in his memory.
His place of burial is unknown.

Benn, Hon. Michael Julius Wedgwood, son of Rt Hon. William Wedgwood Benn, 1st Viscount Stansgate, PC DSO DFC, and Margaret, d. of Daniel Turner Holmes MP; b. 5 Sept. 1921; adm. Sept. 1934 (H); left July 1940; RAFVR 1941 (Flt-Lieut.); a fighter pilot, DFC Aug. 1943; d. of wounds received in action June 1944.

Michael Julius Wedgwood Benn was born in Sussex on the 5th of September 1921 the eldest son of Air Commodore the Right Honourable William Wedgwood Benn DSO, DFC MP, 1st Viscount Stansgate, and Vicountess Stansgate, Margaret Eadie (nee Holmes) Benn of 40, Millbank, Westminster and of Stansgate Abbey in Essex. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1934 to July 1940. He was a member of the 3rd Rowing VIII in 1937 and of the 2nd Rowing VIII in 1939. He was elected as Secretary of the Boat Club in 1940. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of Leading Aircraftman before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 16th of August 1941. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 16th of August 1942 and to Flight Lieutenant on the 16th of August 1943. He was serving with 153 Squadron when he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was announced by the Air Ministry on the 20th of August 1943.
Michael Benn and his navigator, Flying Officer William Alec Roe, took off from RAF Thorney Island at 2.10am on the 23rd of June 1944 in Mosquito FB Mk VI NS837 YH-G for a patrol. It was to be his final operation before he was to take up a post as Aide de Camp to the Air Marshal commanding the Far East. Soon after taking off he noticed that the air speed indicator was malfunctioning and he called the base to say that he was returning. When he arrived over the airfield he found that the runway lights had been turned off. With no way of judging his landing he was afraid of landing short of the runway but instead he landed too far down it and struck a nine foot sea wall at the far end of it. The aircraft crashed through the wall, across the beach and into the sea beyond. Michael Benn had broken his back in the crash and William Roe, although injured himself, had to hold Benn’s head above water until the two men were rescued. They were taken to St Richards Hospital, Chichester for treatment. Margaret Benn rushed to the hospital to visit her son and was able to speak to him before he died twenty minutes later at 3.40pm
He had left a letter to his parents, which was to be opened in the event of his death and read as follows: -
“So may I now take my leave of you, Father, from whom I inherited those qualities which I hoped would play their part later in my life and who was always a friend I could trust and who was everything a friend could be. If he knew how true his first words had come. Mother, from whom I inherited the precious gift of religion, time alone would have shown what I intended to do with that. James (Anthony) who would have been a helping friend and who shared so many interests with me. We might have done great things together. The little Prof (David) to whom I am devoted. Take care of him. Last, but by no means least, Nursey, who has contributed to the family more than she can ever realise. To you all I say au revoir. It was my dearest wish to settle down to do what I could to prevent the suffering of another war from descending on the lives of our children. How I longed to see a world when people could be as free and happy as we were in our family. The toast is then, “The Future”. God Bless you all, my family”
His funeral was held at Golders Green Crematorium on the 28th of June 1944, but his father and brother, Anthony, were unable to attend.
He is commemorated on a memorial in St Lawrence’s Church, Steeple in Essex.
He is commemorated at Golders Green Crematorium Panel 1.

Bell, James Donald Allen, brother of George Kennedy Allen Bell (q.v.); b. March 12, 1888; adm. Sept. 26, 1901 (H); left Dec. 1903; a clerk in the office of the Royal Exchange Assurance Co. 1907-12; went to Norfolk Island in the Western Pacific on behalf of the Melanesian Mission in Aug. 1913, returned home in 1915, and in the following year enlisted in the 22nd (Reserve) Batt. of the King's Royal Rifles; went out with the 10th Batt. to the western front in Sept. 1916; returned home in Feb. 1917, on being recommended for a commission; in hospital with a frost-bitten hand until April; 5th Officer Cadet Corps April - Aug.; 2nd Lieut. 6th Batt. Lancashire Fusiliers Aug. 29; returned to the western front in Oct. 1917; m. Aug. 9, 1913, Lilian Graham, elder daughter of Cassanet Barker Donne, of Wimbledon, Surrey; killed in action at Templeux, near Roisel, March 21, 1918.

BATLEY, RALPH CECIL, brother of John Armytage Batley (qv); b. 2 Dec 1862; adm. (G) 26 Jan 1872; left Aug 1881; Trinity Coll. Cambridge, adm. pens. 10 Oct 1881, matr. Mich. 1881; BA and LLB 1884; adm. Lincoln’s Inn 26 Jan 1882; adm. solicitor 1887; went out to South Africa; served in Matabele War, 1893, with Salisbury Horse, and with Rhodesian Horse in rising of 1895-7; returned to England 1897; commissioned Dorset Yeomanry 17 Nov 1897; served with Imperial Yeomanry in South African War 1900-1; wounded at Diamond Hill 12 Jun 1900; afterwards employed as Civil Commissioner for Pretoria and district; Hon. Capt. in Army 26 Jul 1901; despatches L. G. 10 Sep 1901; Maj., Dorset Yeomanry, 12 Apr 1902; medically unfit for foreign service when regiment ordered to Gallipoli, and given command of 3rd line Dorset Yeomanry battalion; res. on account of ill-health 24 Jan 1917; TD 1917; m. 14 Jun 1904 Mabel Gwynnedd Terry, youngest dau. of Arthur James Lewis, Moray Lodge, Campden Hill, Kensington; d. 23 Oct 1917.

Barrett-Lennard, John Archdale, son of John Barrett-Lennard CBE, of Kew, Surrey; b. 6 Sept. 1917; adm. Sept. 1931 (G); left July 1935; RAAF (Sergt), killed in action; d. Aug. 1941.

John Archdale Barrett-Lennard was born at Pinner, Middlesex on the 6th of September 1917 the only son of John Barrett-Lennard CBE, an army officer and a director of Imperial Airways, and Winifred Mary Lennard of 16, Brunswick Gardens, Kensington in London, later of 88, Styvechale Avenue, Coventry in Warwickshire. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from September 1931 to July 1935 and was a member of the Fencing team in 1935.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force volunteer Reserve where he trained as an observer and rose to the rank of Sergeant. He was serving with 21 Squadron when he was involved in an accident while taxiing towards the flare path. He later transferred to 9 Squadron.
On the 26th of February 1941 he and his crew were flying just to the south of Cologne in Wellington Mk 1C WS-Z R1341 when the aircraft was hit by anti aircraft fire. On its return to England the aircraft was diverted to RAF East Wrethem where it landed safely with no injuries amongst the crew.
On the night of the 12th/13th of August 1941, Bomber Command dispatched 65 Wellingtons and 13 Hampdens for an operation on Hannover.
John Barrett-Lennard and his crew took off from RAF Honington at 9.20pm on the 12th of August 1941 in Wellington Mk IC R1341 WS-Z for the operation. The aircraft was carrying a bomb load of three 500lb general purpose bombs, three hundred and fifty 4lb incendiaries and two flash bombs. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after takeoff. It was attacked and shot down by Messerschmitt Bf110 D-3 G9+FP flown by Feldwebel Ernst Kalinowski and Unteroffizier Zwickl of 6./NJG 1. The aircraft crashed between Grafel and Anderlingen near Rotenburg to the east of Bremen at 1.56am with the loss of the entire crew. Theirs was one of an eventual four victories for Ernst Kalinowski before he was killed on active service on the 21st of March 1944.
The crew was: -
Sergeant Hugh Forster Barron (Wireless Operator/Front Gunner)
Sergeant George Barry “Don” Smith RCAF 2nd Pilot
Sergeant Ronald Ramsey Passmore RNZAF (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Eric Lewin (Pilot)
Sergeant John Archdale Barrett-Lennard (Observer)
Flight Sergeant Charles William Albert Wells (Wireless Operator)
Thiers was one of four aircraft which were lost during the operation.
The crew was buried at Rotenburg Cemetery but their bodies were exhumed on the 6th of July 1946 and moved to their present location.
He is buried at Becklingen War Cemetery Plot 12, Row B, Grave 13.

Barham, Geoffrey Cornelius Arthur, son of Cornelius Herbert Barham of Chiswick, Middlesex and Edith Mary Alice; b. Dec. 10, 1899; adm. Jan. 15, 1914 (G); left July 1915; served in the ranks of 28th Batt. London Regt. during Great War I; RAF during WW2; m. Mary Ellen; d. 27 May 1941.

Geoffrey Cornelius Arthur Barham was born at Leytonstone, Essex on the 10th of December 1899 the elder son of Cornelius Herbert Barham, a solicitor, and Edith Mary Alice (nee Long) Barham of 39, Forest Drive East, North Leyton in Essex, later of 29, Waldegrave Road, Upper Norwood, London SE19. He was christened at St Catherine’s Church, Leyton on the 14th of January 1900. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from the 15th of January 1914 to July 1915 and on leaving school he worked as a clerk.
He enlisted as Private 128277 in the Royal Flying Corps on the 13th of February 1918 and was posted for pilot training but was discharged on the 3rd of May 1918 as being unsuitable. He enlisted as Private 768243 in the 28th (County of London) Battalion (Artists Rifles) on the 5th of June 1918 and served with them until the 8th of February 1919. On the 12th of January 1921 he embarked at London on board the SS Glenapp bound for Yokohama but later returned to enlist in the Royal Air Force.
He enlisted at the RAF Depot, Uxbridge as Aircraftman 2nd Class 351156 in the Royal Air Force on the 31st of January 1922 for a period of eight years with a further four in the Reserve. At a medical examination, which was held on the same day, it was recorded that he was five feet ten and one half inches tall and that he had fair hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion.
He worked as a storekeeper throughout his service, serving with No. 5 Flying Training School from the 12th of July 1922 and at an Electrical and Wireless School from the 11th of October 1922. On the 1st of February 1923 he transferred to 11 Squadron, based at Andover and four days later he moved to Y Group. He was posted to 45 Squadron based in Iraq on the 15th of September 1923 and was promoted to Leading Aircraftman on the 31st of December 1923. He was promoted to Corporal on the 31st of December 1927 and joined 208 Squadron on the 25th of October 1928. He was posted to the Seaplane Base Depot at Calshot on the 16th of February 1929.
He was married at Gosport, Hampshire in 1939 to Mary Ellen (nee Travers), a children’s nurse, and they lived at 15, High Street, Gosport.
He was appointed as an Assistant Clerk in the Air Service on the 22nd of December 1939 and later served as a Corporal in the Royal Air Force at No. 9 Recruits Training Centre, Technical Training Command based at Blackpool.
He is buried at St Swithin’s Church, Thorley, Isle of Wight.

Balfour, Ronald Egerton, son of Brig.-Gen. Sir Alfred Granville Balfour, K.B.E., C.B., of Chelsea, by Frances Elizabeth, only daughter of Surgeon-General Sir Benjamin Simpson, K.C.I.E.; b. Aug. 24, 1896; adm. Jan. 19, 1911 (A); left Easter 1914; served in Great War I; temp. Sub-Lieut. R.N.V.R. Sept. 1, 1916; Lieut. Aug. 24, 1918; hydrophone officer; Lieut. ­ Cdr.; d. after a motor accident April 17, 1941.

Ronald Egerton Balfour was born at Hamilton, Lanarkshire on the 24th of August 1896 the youngest son of Brigadier General Sir Alfred Granville Balfour KBE and Agnes Frances Elizabeth (nee Simpson) Balfour of 7, Durham Place, Smith Street, Chelsea. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from 1911 to 1914.
He enlisted as an Able Seaman in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on the 6th of May 1915 for the duration of hostilities. He was appointed as a Midshipman on the 21st of July 1915 and was posted to the depot ship HMS Vivid for service with Rear Admiral Grant at Pembroke Dockyard. He was recommended for promotion in May 1916 when he was described as “A very talented young officer”, but this was not approved as he had not reached the required age of 20. It was also noted by a superior that: - “He is of great assistance to me, clear headed, keen on his work, but not very strong physically. Has had no training in seamanship or any experience afloat but is of great use in this office.”
He was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on the 1st of September 1916 and was posted to HMS President at Southampton as a Coding Officer on the 21st of June 1917. On the 13th of April 1918 he was posted to the battleship HMS Venerable for hydrophone duties and he transferred to Gibraltar on the 25th of June 1918 where he served on the Staff as a Hydrophone Officer on special duties.
He was demobilised from the Navy on the 20th of February 1919 and went to work as an artist and illustrator, being known too as a dress and costume designer.
In 1920, the publishers Constable & Company produced the “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam” which was illustrated by Ronald Balfour and met with great critical acclaim. The Sphere magazine edition of the 20th of November 1920 carried the following: - “Mr Ronald Balfour, who has given us the newest edition of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, is, I am told, a cousin of Mr Arthur Balfour. What is of more importance, he is a very brilliant artist. In some of his pictures one suspects the influence of Beardsley, but then I am informed he had never seen Beardsley’s work when he made them. They are altogether a very charming interpretation of Edward FitzGerald’s great poem.”
The Scotsman edition of the 25th of November 1920 wrote: - “Mr Balfour’s designs are fancifully Oriental in character, touched with a considerable suggestion of Aubrey Beardsley, and it is possible that his rather lank divinities might not have entirely appealed to the imagination of the Persian poet. The designs, however, display a remarkable lightness and grace of line, and some of the little line drawings, printed upon the brown paper which is also employed for the letterpress, are extremely dainty, while the more elaborate designs in black and white, or in colour, printed on plate paper, are quite brilliantly executed.”
The Illustrated London News of the 27th of November 1920 wrote: - “Some of Mr Balfour’s illustrations to Omar Khayyam were done when he was little more than seventeen. Those most resembling the Aubrey Beardsley style were done before he had ever seen any of Beardsley’s”
The Times of the 9th of December 1920 wrote: - “The Rubaiyat” can be had with new illustrations by Mr Ronald Balfour (Constable, 21s. net), who, in spite of the influence of Beardsley on his drawing, gives us in a few colour plates and in many black and white drawings (some of them just touched with colour) a vision of the poem which is original and sincere if at times surprising. Even the audacity of showing us in one place a young man and woman in modern evening dress is carried off without shocking us too deeply, because it is what Mr Balfour honestly sees.” In 1928 and 1929 he participated in an expedition to the Himalayas which was chronicled in the book “Thin Air” by Constance Bridges published by Brewer and Webster of New York in 1930, and was illustrated by Ronald Balfour.
He was married at Westminster Cathedral on the 24th of April 1930 to Deirdre Phyllis Ulrica (nee Hart-Davis, later Wolfers, Brand and Inman); they lived at 24, Wellington Square, Chelsea and at Gadds Meadow, West Chiltington, Pulborough in Sussex. They had two daughters, Susan Mary, born in 1931, and Annabel Clare, born on the 20th of October 1935.
In 1934 he was appointed as the Art Director of Fox British Productions at Wembley and designed at least one costume for the actress Anna May Wong for the 1934 production “Java Head”.
On the outbreak of war he was recalled to the service with the rank of Acting Lieutenant Commander and he worked in the Map Room at the Admiralty.
His wife and daughters sailed from Liverpool to New York on board the SS Britannic on the 21st of July 1940.
On the night of the 16th/17th of April 1941 he was driving to his home in Sussex after a long day at the Admiralty. While he was driving on the Kingston bypass at Surbiton, Surrey he is thought to have fallen asleep at the wheel and was killed when his car left the road and crashed.
His brother, Major James Alfred Balfour, 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, was killed in action on the 11th of January 1917.
He is not currently commemorated on the war memorial at Westminster School.
He is buried at St Mary’s Church, West Chiltington.