BECKETT, William Joseph
| Service Number: | 201 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 20 October 1881 |
| Home Town: | Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Actor- Stage and Radio |
| Died: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia., 15 November 1936, aged 55 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
St Kilda Cemetery, Victoria Plot: Roman Catholic, Compartment B, Grave 0218A |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 201, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Mar 1901: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB Bk 2, p. 51, notes promoted to Corporal 4 Mar 1901. | |
| 6 Mar 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 201, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 488 notes 5th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 6 Mar 1901 aboard Templemore arriving Port Elizabeth 1 Apr 1901. | |
| 22 May 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 201, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB Bk 2, p. 51, notes returned invalided to Australia aboard Columbian arriving Brisbane 15 May 1902, discharged 22 May 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
When William Joseph Beckett enlisted in 1901 in the 5th QIB and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 16 Mar 1901, he noted his N.O.K. as his Aunt Miss. M. Lyons, Wickham Terrace, Brisbane.
William Joseph Beckett was born on 20 Oct 1881 in Brisbane, a son to Peter Joseph Beckett and Gertrude Louisa Beckett (nee Lyons). It appears both his parents had passed before 1900 and his N.O.K. was his mother's sister Mary Lyons. He also went by the name Rutland William Joseph Beckett under which his death is recorded in the BDM Victoria register where his parents are noted as Peter Beckett and Mary Lyons (his aunty), with his place of birth being Brisbane.
He was educated at Brisbane Grammar School prior to enlisting for the South African (Boer) War. On his return to Australia, by his own admission, he drifted onto the stage and became a well known stage actor portraying villians and in later life appeared in radio serials. Several newspaper articles cover his career and note his birth in Brisbane and Boer War service, see links on this profile.
(sources- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 497; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB Bk 2, p. 51; varios newspaper articles, see links).
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