166146 Temporary Captain Aubrey Valentine Vernon BEATY, MC, 21 Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by Drew5233, Feb 9, 2014.

  1. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    MC citation - any additional info greatly received.

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  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36961/supplements/1174/page.pdf

    http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35069/supplements/802/page.pdf

    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C9051617

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/4177276/Aubrey-Beaty.html
    Aubrey Beaty, who has died aged 92, won an MC in Holland in 1944 and was believed to be the first soldier serving with the British ground forces to cross the German frontier.
    Aubrey Beaty
    On the evening of September 19 Beaty, then a captain in command of a troop of "Q" Battery 21 Anti-Tank Regiment RA (21 ATR), was supporting the 1st (Motor) Grenadier Guards during the attack on the post office and bridge at Nijmegen on the Dutch-German border.
    Near Wyler Meer, just to the south-east, he took the surrender of 35 Germans and handed them over to the Americans. The next day he engaged German snipers and at 2pm he crossed the German frontier.
    On learning that enemy tanks and infantry were advancing on the town of Beek, he joined the Americans there. He went forward and, from a hull-down position, fired 40 rounds of high explosive and armour-piercing shells into farm buildings where the enemy were believed to be.
    The town was being heavily shelled, and amidst the dust the German infantry could be seen running from tree to tree to take advantage of all the available cover. After darkness, the enemy continued to advance using illuminating flares. There was considerable fire, and when the American infantry pulled back to a crossroads Beaty ordered his troop to pull back too. He personally covered the withdrawal.
    He was then wounded and one of his self-propelled guns was hit, in error, by a Piat fired by an Allied unit. He evacuated the crew, some of whom were wounded, under shellfire and later that night rejoined his battery. He was awarded an MC.
    Aubrey Valentine Vernon Beaty, the son of an officer in the Indian Police, was born in Delhi on February 1 1916. He and his siblings recalled adventures on horseback and being pursued by a posse of servants when their exploits became too hazardous.
    He was educated at Bedford School before starting work at Selfridges. In 1939 he enlisted in the Royal Artillery and saw action in France with the BEF before being evacuated from Dunkirk. Beaty was commissioned into the 21 ATR and served with them throughout the Second World War. He took part in the D-Day landings in June 1944, the liberation of Brussels and the advance through Holland and Germany.
    His MC citation paid tribute to his gallantry and stated that it was believed that he was the first of the British ground forces to cross the frontier into Germany
    He was demobilised after the war and, in 1947, joined Condé Nast Publications, working for various departments. When he became a director of Vogue Italia his emolument consisted of a slap-up Roman meal.
    In retirement Beaty settled in London, and derived great enjoyment from gardening.
    Aubrey Beaty died on December 6. He married in 1943, Sheila, Miller, who survives him with a son. Another son predeceased him.
     
  3. ritsonvaljos

    ritsonvaljos Senior Member

    Another interesting fellow!
     
  4. David Buckman

    David Buckman New Member

     
  5. David Buckman

    David Buckman New Member

    I saw this post on War history online on facebook today 29/03/17. Very interesting about your relatives MC. My grandad was a troop Sgt in 21st anti tank regt RA (W/Sgt Frederick William Ward), at the same time. If you have any info on the unit. Please I would be very grateful.
    Many thanks
    David Buckman
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi David

    No idea why I posted this info other than someone would have asked me about him or his citation three years ago.

    Regards
    Andy
     
  7. David Buckman

    David Buckman New Member

    Hi Andy,
    Many thanks.
     
    Drew5233 likes this.
  8. Andy Chapman

    Andy Chapman New Member

    I signed up to say that this man was my Step fathers(Mervyn Beaty 1925-1992)) brother.
    Vyn also served signing up at the age of 14 for the Navy. He served on several ships and was off the coast during the D-day landings. He finished the war in Japan. He tols me about his brother being the first into Germany and he nentioned that he was the first on Japanese soil.
    Their father Ambrose Beaty was a personal friend of the King.
    My step father spoke little of the war, he served in Zanzibar and this is where his only child was born. He died in New Zealand in 1992 and is buried in Peria.
     
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  9. Andy Chapman

    Andy Chapman New Member

    I had these in storage. These were Mervyns. I thought i would add them here if any of his extended family ever find this post like I have. post 20230628_165649.jpg
     

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