On night of Sunday 28th November 1914 there was a mutiny at Upwey, near Weymouth. Private Wallace Williams of the 3rd Dorset Regiment was killed and Private Lane injured. The papers report that Grandad Beck attended the Coroner’s court but gives us no information about his involvement. The civil courts part in this was to ascertain how the death happened and if it was a criminal offence. The war had started 4 months before. I am sure that the investigating the incident had to be handled with care, as it involved both the military and civilian police. It is likely that Grandad Beck, as Dorset’s only detective was involved in the investigation and liaising with the Dorset Regiment. This may have helped to secure his promotion the following year, to Superintendent of Blandford Forum, a town with a military base nearby.
I know it is not really relevant but I couldn’t resist another picture of Lionel in uniform take in 1917.
On 23rd April 1917 Grandad Beck’s son Lionel joined the Royal North Devon Hussars 2/1 Battalion. His service was to last 101 days, just over 3 months. From his discharge papers and the three letters Lionel wrote to his sister May, we find out about this time. Less than a year after he returned home, Lionel died, his death certificate contained a surprise.
We learn that Private Lionel Howard Beck was 5ft 6in with blue eyes and fair hair. Before his call up, Lionel, worked as a shop assistant, most likely in Blandford where he lived at home with his parents and sister. At this time Grandad Beck was Superintendent at Blandford and the family lived in the police station.