Rifleman JOHN BEELEY

The following details are given in the London Gazette of April 17th, 1942:-On 21st November, 1941, at Sidi Rezegh in Libya, during an attack by a battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps the Company to which Rifleman Beeley belonged was pinned down by heavy fire on the flat open ground of the aerodrome. All the officers but one had been either killed or wounded. Rifleman Beeley, carrying a machine gun, ran towards a strong enemy post and discharged a complete magazine, killing or wounding the entire crew of the anti-tank gun. The post was silenced, but Rifleman Beeley fell dead across his gun, hit in at least four places. Rifleman Beeley went to certain death in a gallant and successful attempt to carry the day. His courage and self-sacrifice were a glorious example to his comrades and so inspired them that they reached and eventually captured their objective.