Joseph Albert Beech

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams.

Joseph Albert Beech was born on the 24 March 1919 in the West Derby Registration District, Lancashire. He was the youngest son of John & Catherine Beech (née Sheils) who had married in St. John’s Church, Bootle, on the 2nd of February 1915. John Beech worked as a painter and had served in the First World War as a Private in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

We see the young family on the 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921, living at 25, Spring Grove, Bootle, Bootle cum Linacre, Lancashire. John Beech was now working as a Police Constable for the Borough of Bootle C.P.O. Oriel Road, Bootle. Catherine Beech was doing ‘Home Duties.’ They had two children, John Beech aged 5 years and 5 months old, and Joseph Albert Beech aged 2 years and 3 months old.

The next time we see the family is on the 1939 National Register which was taken on the 19th of September 1939. The family are living at 24, Trevor Street, Crosby, Lancashire. John Beech was now working as a Painter, House & Ship – he had been an Apprentice Painter on earlier censuses. Joseph Beech was single and a working as a Labourer, Paper Worker. The family had grown as Joseph now had two sisters. Ester (sic) H.E. Beech had been born on the 11th of May 1923 and was working as a Match Works Fitter Girl. Catherine J. Beech, born on the 24th of May 1926 was ‘At School.’

Sadly, I have no information on Joseph Beech, neither his early or teen years, and I do not know when he was to enlist, or was conscripted, but he was to find himself fighting on D-Day and laid down his life for our freedom.

He was serving with the 7th Battalion, Parachute Regiment and was a passenger on board Stirling Mk.IV LJ288 of 620 Squadron, Royal Air Force (RAF) which took off at 23:35 on 5 June 1944 from RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire for Operation Tonga (6th Airborne Division's parachute and glider assault in the early hours of D-Day). However, the aircraft was hit by German anti-aircraft fire and it crashed about half a mile north of Château Sarlabot, Dives sur Mer, Calvados killing all on board. He was buried in a communal grave in La Delivrande War Cemetery, Douvres as the Graves Registration Report Form states Plot III, Row K ‘Buried Near this Spot.’

Joseph Beech was a member of a loving family and, as newspaper cuttings show, he was very much missed by them all. These inmemoriam notices were published in the Liverpool Echo of 6th June 1945 by his parents and siblings.

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of Joseph Beech. If you are aware of one, or you are related to Joseph, we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.