Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.

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12.10.1044 No. 122 Wing Tempest V EJ710 JF-L W/Cdr. Beamont

Operation: Armed Recce

Date: 12th October 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 122 Wing

Type: Tempest V

Serial: EJ710

Code: JF-L

Base: Volkel, Netherlands

Location: Near Bocholt, Germany

Pilot: W/Cdr. 'Bee' Roland Prosper Beamont MiD. DSO Bar. DFC Bar. 41819 RAF Age 24. PoW Stalag IIIa Luckenwalde

REASON FOR LOSS:

Shortly before he was leaving on the operation, 23 year old, Sq/Ldr. Harvey Nelson Sweetman NZ/40992 RNZAF (commanding officer of 3 Squadron) was approached by 'Bee' to take over as wing leader for this sortie. Which he did.

The section attacked a train and then broke away. The rule that W/Cdr. Beamont had strictly enforced with his pilots was that they only make one attack before breaking away. So the others were surprised to see 'Bee' go in for another strafing attack and then a third! It was during this third run that the radiator was hit by small arms fire from the ground.

With his engine damaged and at very low level he had no choice but to attempt a forced landing, which he did without injury, south east of Bocholt, only to be quickly captured.

For further details of his outstanding life we encourage you to read the article reprinted in our obituary section. He was awarded later with the OBE. CBE. DFC (USA). DL. FRAes. C de G (posthumously) in addition to the awards won during the war.

Burial details:

None - survived the war. Passed away on the 19th November 2001 age 81.

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Sadly now out of print a wonderful book has been published "The RAF WWII Logbooks of Wing Commander R. P. Beaumont". Published by Tally Ho Publications. ISBN 10: 0955310105 / ISBN 13: 9780955310102. Hardback format over 320 pages and including a wealth of photographs to illustrate the entries in his flying logbook, this is a document of great importance to historians and researchers of the RAF in World War 2. W/Cdr. Beamont was later to become Great Britains foremost test pilot flying the three greatest postwar aircraft produced by this country - Lightning, Canberra and TSR-2.

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For further details our thanks to the following sources shown below.

A word from the Editor: your contribution is important. We welcome your comments and information. Thanks in advance.

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