BEAVON James William

Appears on the Army casualties list for Worcestershire.

The following information has been researched and transcribed by The Black Country Society:
James Beavon enlisted in the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment and was posted to the 1st Battalion. This was a regular battalion in the 1st Division. It had been in France in 1939 and took part in the Dunkirk evacuation. By 1943 it was in North Africa and fought at Tunis. In December 1943 the troops crossed the Mediterranean to Italy and were part of the sea-borne attack at Anzio which was designed to open the road to Rome. The landings on the 22nd January achieved surprise and the beach head was quickly established. However, caution hindered any chance of a breakout before the inevitable German counter attack. The Duke of Wellingtons reached the town of Campoleone but were soon forced to withdraw with losses in the face of heavy German shelling. On the 12th February they covered the withdrawal of other units, but the intense German shelling of the small beach head continued. Although the main German attack of the 16th was repulsed, British casualties were heavy. Private James Beavon was killed in action on the 24th February.