Captain Harold Francis Beamish

The son of a sheep farmer, Harold Beamish was born in Hastings on 5 July 1896 and educated at Wanganui Collegiate. Upon leaving school he attempted to join the Army, but failed a medical examination. Undaunted by this setback he made his own way to the United Kingdom, where he had no difficulty in satisfying the requirements of the RNAS, receiving his commission in July 1916.

Following instruction at the flying training establishments at Cranwell and Frieston, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Beamish departed for France in January 1917. Posted to the Sopwith Pup equipped 3 Squadron, RNAS, he had a total of 49 hours flying time to his credit. 
 
One month later 3 Squadron was placed under RFC control, an arrangement which lasted until mid-June, and during this time the unit enjoyed a great deal of success in air combat. As for Beamish, his contribution was a single victory claimed in April. 
 
Back under RNAS direction, 3 Squadron commenced to re-equip with the Sopwith Camel, and it was with this aircraft type that Beamish would score the rest of his victories. On 27 July he made his first claim flying a Camel. 
 
A recommendation for his promotion to Flight Lieutenant, submitted at this time, said of Beamish: "Has flown a total of 218 hours of which 150 hours were flown during the battles of the Somme and Ancre. He is an exceedingly good Flight leader and has destroyed two hostile machines and driven down 12 others." The promotion subsequently came through on 5 August. 
 
Over the remaining months of 1917 only a few more victories were scored by 3 Squadron, the most noteworthy being a DFW two-seater forced to land in British territory on 10 September; its pilot was captured unhurt, but the observer had been mortally wounded in the combat. Beamish was one of five pilots who shared in this success. 
 
After September Beamish did not score again until May 1918, by which time he was a Captain, and his unit had been re-designated 203 Squadron, RAF; but the month was easily his most productive with six victories (three shared). One of them was a Pfalz Scout which he accounted for on the 16th, the New Zealander’s Combat Report having this to say: "While on Offensive Patrol we were N of LA BASSEE at 13,000 feet when six EA attacked us from above. A general fight followed. I got above one and fired about 200 rounds into it. It turned over on its back and fell out of control. Two more then attacked me from above and I had to lose sight of EA." His victories in May proved to be his last, and in July he was granted extended leave to New Zealand. Still at home when the Armistice was signed, Beamish was eventually transferred to the Unemployed List of the RAF on 4 January 1919. His final score was eleven victories (five shared), and he had been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in November 1917. 
 
Henceforth, aviation was to play little part in his life. For many years sheep farming was his occupation until retiring to live quietly in Havelock North, and it was there that New Zealand’s last surviving "ace" of 1914-18 died on 26 October 1986, aged 90.