Lieutenant William Christian BEEKEN Clicking on photo will return to Page A- B

BEEKEN Lieutenant Wilhelm (William) Christian F Company, 3rd Battalion, Australian Imperial Force Born 1st May, 1889, at The Glebe, Sydney, NSW. [Birth certificate: 1889 11053 Glebe NSW] Educated: Unknown Married; Draper, of: care of Mrs Charles Smith, 'Woodley', Goodwin Street, Bexley, Sydney, NSW. Next of Kin listed as: Wife; Mrs W. C. Beeken, of 'Woodley', Goodwin Street, Bexley NSW. Photos of Lieutenant Beeken are known to exist in the following locations: Sydney Town & Country Journal, 26 May 1915, p14.

Mother: Gertrude Beeken. Father; Joseph F. B. Beeken.

Next of Kin also listed as: Mrs A. J. Smith (Sister in law), of 'Woodley', Goodwin St, Bexley NSW.
Lieutenant Beeken's widow died, 7th June 1917.

Next of Kin then listed as: Miss Miriam M. Beeken (daughter); care of Mrs A. J. Smith, 4 Princess Street, Bexley NSW.

Previously Captain, Senior Cadets. Promoted 2nd Lieutenant 3rd September 1914. Lieutenant 1st February 1915
Enlisted in A.I.F. at Gundagai, NSW.

Wounded 26th or 30th April 1915 [or both - accounts vary] on MacLaurin's Hill, Anzac:
'The Turkish fire was most deadly in this part of the line. ...many junior officers - among them ...Beeken of the 3rd, ...were wounded and put out of action.' (Bean V1 p442, 483 [quoted], 519, 519n, 528).

Killed during the assault on the Turkish trenches on the Lone Pine Plateau: 'Somebody saw Beekin [sic] wounded getting across. White and Garnham were also missing, but probably on top. Austin was shot through the stomach.' (Bean diary No.10 Appendix B p7).
 

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