Francis William Beamish

A Deck Hand with H.M. Drifter Gleaner of the Sea, Francis died on 26th of October 1916 at the age of 22. 

Francis was born at Carlton Colville on 9th November 1893, a son of William and Jessie Beamish of 186 The Avenue Lowestoft Suffolk.

Francis, like his father, was a fisherman. He joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 11th January 1915 and served on board the drifter 'Gleaner of the Sea'.

In 1915 the 'Gleaner of the Sea' was part of the Dover Patrol and had the task of tending the nets that made up the anti-submarine defences. On 24th April 1915 they discovered that submarine U-13 was tangled in the drifter's anchor cable. The Skipper, Robert Hurren, took a 'lance-bomb' and struck the submarine on the fore-deck. The submarine was damaged and was also attacked by British destroyers before sinking. (See OVERLORD'S BLOG: Gleaming Sea (overlord-wot.blogspot.com). Robert Hurren was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions and Francis, for his part in sinking the U-13, was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (London Gazette 25 July 1916). According to Francis' Royal Naval Reserve service sheet he was also Mentioned in Despatches (the certificate was sent to his father after the war). 

The Gleaner of the Sea was one of a number of Lowestoft trawlers, in the Dover Patrol, that were attacked by German destroyers during the night of 26-27 October 1916. The Gleaner of the Sea was lost with all hands. 

For details of the attack on the Dover Barrage see: The German attack on the 'Dover Barrage' 26th/27th October 1916 (sussexhistoryforum.co.uk)