Lieutenant Donald Wainwright Beard (born 20 May 1895, date of death unknown) was a British World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.[1]
Early life and service
Donald Wainwright Beard was born in Sandbach, Cheshire, England on 20 May 1895. Beard originally joined the Royal Flying Corps as a mechanic on 20 August 1913.[2]
World War I service
Beard deployed to France with his unit when the war began. As he worked at his ground assignment, he agitated for opportunities to fly. He was manning the guns in the observer's seat of a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 on a No. 4 Squadron RFC mission flown on 20 July 1916. During a dogfight, Captain Copeland, the pilot, was wounded. Beard shot down the attacking Pfalz E.I, then flew the B.E.2 home. His heroism earned him a Military Medal and a chance for pilot training.[2]
Training completed, he was assigned to No. 11 Squadron RFC as a sergeant pilot of a Bristol F.2 Fighter dubbed "Amy" on 26 November 1917.[3] On 9 March 1918, with Sergeant H. W. Scarnell manning the rear guns, Beard drove a German Pfalz D.III down out of control. Six days later, the same team destroyed an Albatros D.III fighter and drove down two others. A week later, with Second Lieutenant H. M. Stewart as gunner, Beard set an Albatros D.V on fire. On 3 April 1918, Beard was commissioned as a Temporary Second Lieutenant.[4] Beard's final victories came on 9 May 1918, when he destroyed one Pfalz D.III and drove another down out of control.[2]
Between the wars
On 10 December 1920, Beard gave up his commission because of poor health caused by military service.[5]
Beard married Stella Marie Gladys Londt.[6] She died in a car crash on 27 December 1933,[7] aged 22;[8] their infant daughter Sally died shortly thereafter[7] on 1 January 1934.[6]
World War II
Beard was commissioned as a Flying Officer for the duration of World War II on 18 November 1940.[9] On 22 January 1941, probationary Pilot Officer Beard was assigned to administrative duty.[10] On 20 July, he was transferred to the Technical Branch.[11] On 18 November 1941, Beard transferred into the reserves.[12] On 13 March 1942, he once again resigned his commission as Pilot Officer because of poor health.[13] As of 8 April 1947, he is also shown resigning his commission, which may indicate he returned to duty after the 1942 resignation.[14]
Honours and awards
Awarded the Military Medal on 9 December 1916. Sergeant with Serial no. 839.[15]
^ abMurrell, A. M. (2002). "Donald Wainwright Beard". John Murrell of Rayleigh, Essex, England: His Descendants in South Africa. Archived from the original on 18 November 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
^"No. 35028". The London Gazette. 31 December 1940. p. 7299.
^"No. 35065". The London Gazette. 4 February 1941. p. 696.
^"No. 35241". The London Gazette. 8 August 1941. p. 4576.
^"No. 35515". The London Gazette. 7 April 1942. p. 1564.
^"No. 35498". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 March 1942. p. 1337.
^"No. 38554". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 March 1949. p. 1183.
^"No. 29854". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 December 1916. pp. 12041–12042.
Bibliography
Guttman, Jon; Dempsey, Harry (2007). Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of World War I. Osprey Publishing. ISBN978-1-84603-201-1.
Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN978-0-948817-19-9.