Beard, Hubert Edgar

367 Corporal Hubert Edgar Beard - 10th Light Horse Regiment

Hubert Edgar Beard was born in Mildura Victoria in 1895 to Henry and Caroline Beard. He was one of several children and when the family was still young they moved to Western Australia. Upon arrival they took up residence at 53 Holdsworth Street Fremantle.

Bert was educated at Fremantle Boys School and after leaving school became a horse Driver and prior to the Great War had gone to the countryside to work as a stockman/boundary rider. He was working at Wagin when he enlisted in the Great War and had been a member of the local Wagin light Horse unit

On the 24th November 1914 Hubert enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 8 & 1/2 inches;

Weight - 133lbs;

Chest Measurement - 34 inches;

Complexion - Florid;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment Bert was sent to Claremont Camp and was taken on strength of "C" Squadron of the 10th Light Horse Regiment. His brother Ernie had been assigned to "B" Squadron. The 10th Light Horse would train in various places such as Guildford, Claremont, Fremantle and Rockingham over the next few months. (In the picture Hubert is sitting with his brother Ernie standing)

They soon received their orders to embark. Ernie, as part of "B" Squadron left Fremantle on the 8th February 1915 aboard the transport ship Mashobra. Hubert left over a week later with "C" Squadron on the transport ship Surada.

Arriving in Egypt in March 1915, the 10^th Light Horse were sent to the recently vacated infantry lines at Mena where they were soon joined by the 8^th & 9^th Light Horse Regiments and so formed the full complement of the Third Light Horse Brigade. Training occurred for the Light Horse through March and April and soon word came back about the Australian and New Zealand Infantry landing at Anzac Cove. Wounded soldiers brought back the tales of the campaign and no doubt the Light Horse was eager to be done training to have a crack at the Turk.

In May 1915, the Light Horse Regiments were sent to the Gallipoli battlefield, minus their horses, as they would go into the lines as infantry. The majority of the 10^th Light Horse sailed for the Dardanelles, reaching there on the 19^th May. The 10^th spent their time between the outposts of the Northern sector and Walkers Ridge, spending much time at the vital position at Quinn's Post.

Bert had been assigned to stay with the horses in Egypt, however he stowed away on the transport ship to the Dardanelles as he explained in a letter home to his brother Frank and which was later published in the newspaper.

Anxious for Fight

A STOWAWAY'S LETTER.

Mr. Frank Beard, of the local Post Office, has received the following letter from his brother :

"I have just returned from the front two days ago. I was detailed to stay behind and Lcs and Ernie were detailed to go, so I made up my mind to go too. I got to Alexandria alright, also on the boat. Then I was what they- commonly called a stowaway. I came out when they were about two hours out of the harbour, when Ernie came and told me everything was 'O.K.'. There were one or two others also, who had stowed away. We were all paraded before the Major, who just asked us why we came. When we arrived at the Dardanelles they took the bolts out of our rifles and took us ashore, then gave us our bolts back again, and we heard no more for three weeks. Then they informed us that we were fined 25s, and a few days after we were given half an hour's notice to get ready to go back to Egypt, where I am now, and don't know how long I will have to stop.

During my three weeks at the front I did not get a scratch, nor had Ernie up till the time I left. Les was in a bayonet charge and got wounded in the left leg and the top lip and mouth. (He has since died.) I only saw him for a second. We were going up to the trenches as they carried him out on a stretcher. He said he was not too bad. I don't think it is anything to worry about. I am trying to find out which hospital he is in. He may be in Malta, or in. England. I will write and let you know if I find out how he is. I am anxious to get back to the front again, but I don't think the horses will ever see Turkey."

Sadly Robert Beard died in Egypt on June 14th 1915.

Hubert had to remain in Egypt for the next few months looking after the horses after his stowaway adventure. However he did get back there for on the 2nd October 1915 he arrived back on the battlefield. He would have found a much depleted Regiment after their large casualties at the Nek and Hill 60.

Bert remained at Gallipoli until the 10th Light Horse evacuated in December 1915. They then returned to Egypt. On the 17th February 1916 Bert was sent to hospital with mumps though he only missed a few weeks and was back with his unit soon after.

Hubert served through 1916 with the Regiment, seeing action at Romani in August 1916 and Maghdaba in December 1916 and Rafa in January 1917. Bert also saw action around Gaza in March/April 1917. He had a few bouts of illness around May, June and July 1917 which necessitated stays in hospital, but he rejoined the Regiment on the 3rd August 1917.

Bert served in the operations around Beersheba in October 1917 but on the 20th November fell ill and was sent to hospital, so missed his units action when they captured Jerusalem. Bert was away for several weeks, rejoining his Regiment on the 10th January 1918.

After the capture of Jerusalem the advance continued and the Light Horse and British infantry captured Jericho.

Through 1918 the advance continued through the Jordan Valley through in May 1918 an unsuccessful action took place against the Turkish forces. The Turks fought fiercely as Es Salt was the key to the Moab foothills and through the 10th Light Horse captured the village they later had to retire due to large Turkish assaults which threatened to outflank them.

Bert served from January to 29th April 1918 but was then sent sick to the 14th Australian General Hospital at Port Said. He was then sent to a rest camp for a few more weeks and rejoined the Regiment on the 20th June 1918.

Bert was now promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. On the 19th September 1918 he fell ill and was shipped off to Hospital. He missed the Great Ride of the Light Horse through September and October 1918 which broke the back of the Turkish Army.

Bert did not rejoin the 10th Light Horse Regiment till after the Armistice, being taken on strength on the 18th December 1918. He then remained with the 10th Light Horse Regiment through to July 1919. During this time he was promoted to Corporal. Bert also served during his Regiments action during the Egyptian uprising.

On the 10th July 1919 Hubert boarded the transport ship Oxfordshire and set ail from Egypt for home, arriving at Fremantle on the 4th August 1919. Hubert was discharged from the AIF on the 3rd October 1919.

In 1922 in Subiaco Hubert married Bertha Alice Jane Bonsfield. A son Henry was born in Leederville in 1924.

They lived in Balcatta for a time and Bert was working as a Grocer though later found employment as a motor driver. In 1931 they moved to Subiaco and were living in Rokeby Road, later moving to Park Street.

Hubert Beard died in Hollywood Hospital on the 16th July 1974 aged 78. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.