Heathcote Huia Butler Beale
Born 10 Sept 1916 - Died 4 Apr 1944
- Service number
- WWII NZ41465 AWMM
- WWII 41465 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- Squadron Leader AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 37 Squadron AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
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- Forenames
- Heathcote Huia Butler AWMM
- Surname
- Beale AWMM
- Ingoa
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- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWII NZ41465 AWMM
- WWII 41465 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
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Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 10 Sept 1916 AWMM
- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
- Son of Arthur Merritt Beale, and of Emma Reremoana Beale, of Te Puia Springs.Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 4 January 2016 - http://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/heathcote-huia-butler-beale
- Address before enlistment
- Te Puia Springs, East CoastPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 4 January 2016 - http://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/heathcote-huia-butler-beale
- Post war occupation
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- Next of kin
- WW2 Mrs Emma R. Williams (mother), Puketiki Station, Te Puia Springs, Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM
- WW2 Mother: Mrs A. B. Williams, Puketiti, Te Puia Springs, East Coast AWMM
- Relationship status
- Single/WWII AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- 1939-1945 AWMM WW2 AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- WWII NZ41465 AWMM
- WWII 41465 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- WW2 Jan 1941 AWMM Shepherd/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- WW2
1944 AWMM
On an operation to Budapest AWMM - WW2 POW - Unknown Prisoner of War Camp AWMM
Middle East AWMM - WW2 POW - Germany AWMM
- WW2
- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed or died while a Prisoner of War, Cause of Death AWMM
Died while prisoner of war AWMM - 4 Aug 1944 AWMM Other, WWII AWMM
Died of injuries, shot down. AWMM
- Killed or died while a Prisoner of War, Cause of Death AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Squadron Leader AWMM
Royal Air Force, No. 37 Squadron AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Son of Arthur Merritt Beale and Emma R. Beale of Te Puia Springs.
Joined the RAF in January 1941
Squadron Leader Beale was a prisoner of war, although the place and dates are unknown.
Next of kin details compiled from information in the Casualty lists published in the newspapers.
Attended Christs College, Christchurch (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845607))
920 hours as Pilot (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845607)) AWMM - From my For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Two: Fates 1943-1998):
Mon 3/Tue 4 Apr 1944
MEDITERRANEAN ALLIED AIR FORCES
Raid on the Manfred Weiss works at Budapest, Hungary (by 87 aircraft - 5 lost)
37 Squadron, RAF (Tortorella [Foggia No 2], Italy - 231 Wing, 205 Group, Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Force)
Wellington X LN853 - took off at 2043 and shot down by a night-fighter over Hungary, crashing on the farm of Bukajlo Tanja of Rac Almas, about 3km north of Duna Pentele (at position 4700N:1856E), at 2330. Three of the crew died in the crash, their bodies being buried at Duna Pentele, but later reinterred in Budapest. Their three comrades baled out and were taken prisoner, the RAF second pilot and the wireless operator being unhurt. However, the captain, retrieved from the River Danube in which he had landed, was found to be critically injured with a broken back. He was transported south some 250km to the German Military Hospital in Semlin (aka Zemun), 6km WNW of Belgrade, where he died on the 8th. Although a Catholic priest later stated he had buried the airman in the civilian cemetery at Semlin, after hostilities it proved impossible to find the unmarked grave. The captain’s name is therefore commemorated on the Malta Memorial.
Captain: NZ41465 Sqn Ldr Heathcote Huia Butler BEALE, DFC*, RNZAF - Age 27. 920hrs. 65th op.
Beale was well into his second tour, his first, also in the Mediterranean theatre, being flown with 104 Sqn, RAF.Public - Jenifer - Researcher - 13 December 2018 - Information Credit : Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum - DESERT AERODROME, EGYPT - Sept 1942 - Flight-Lieutenant H. H. Beale, of Gisborne, has undertaken more than 40 operational flights over Egypt since March. Twenty of these flights he made with Flight-Lieutenant Neil Blundell, of Wellington, as navigator. Flt-Lt Beale is now proceeding to a training school for a term as instructor. He has two brothers in the 2nd N.Z.E.F., and has been fortunate enough to meet them several times since their arrival in this country from England in FebruaryPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 4 January 2016 - New Zealand Herald, 30 September 1942
- Son of Arthur Merritt Beale and Emma R. Beale of Te Puia Springs.
About death
- Death
- 4 Apr 1944 AWMM
Age 28 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
- Killed or died while a Prisoner of War AWMM
- Death notes
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- Cemetery
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- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
- MISSING ON AIR IOPERATIONS
Squadron-Leader H. H. B. Beale, D F.C. and bar, is the son of Mrs. A. B. Williams, Te Puia Springs, and joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force when on the point of taking up farming on his own account. He was born at Waipiro Bay, and was educated at Hereworth, Hawke’s Bay, and Christ’s College, Christchurch, later gaining experience in farming on the East Coast and in Hawke’s Bay. He received his wings in New Zealand, and later proceeded to England, whence he was transferred to the Middle East on bombing operations. He was regarded as an outstanding aircraft captain, and raised the standard of bombing efficiency in his first squadron noticeably.Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 22 June 2023 - GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXXI, ISSUE 21408, 19 MAY 1944, PAGE 4 - Sqd/Ldr. H. H. Beale, D.F.C. and bar, of Te Puia Springs, died while prisoner of war.Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 4 January 2016 - Auckland Weekly News
- MISSING ON AIR IOPERATIONS
- Memorial name
- Tokomaru Bay War Memorial
Tokomaru Bay Memorial Gates
Gisborne's War MemorialPublic - Lorraine M - Researcher - 4 January 2016 - Research - Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
- Malta Memorial, Malta AWMM
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Roll of Honour. Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 116, 18 May 1944, Page 6
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19440518.2.101&srpos
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1081429
Sources Used - RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ib - Ly. Archives New Zealand (R17845612)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845607
Sources Used - List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. Archives New Zealand (R17845748)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845748
Sources Used
- Roll of Honour. Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 116, 18 May 1944, Page 6
- References
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- Deaths While Prisoner of War - Navy, Army, Air Force and Civilians [WW2 NZ POW Deaths], Archives New Zealand, Wellington, AAAA 7393 Box 1 (R25405152).
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ab - B. Archives New Zealand (R17845607) - Former archives reference: AIR118
- Please note that the 11 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions.
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [List of Killed - Officers (Canada, Pacific, Europe) - Airmen (Canada, India and Far East)]. Archives New Zealand (R17845748)
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Embarkation Lists, November 1940 - July 1942. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845762).
- War Office. (1945). Germany and German occupied territories : imperial prisoners of war alphabetical list : section 8 : Air Forces. London, U.K.: Government Printer.
p.77 - Royal New Zealand Air Force. (1941–1945). Contact: National magazine of the R.N.Z.A.F.; the official organ of the Air Force Association (Inc.). Levin, New Zealand: Royal New Zealand Air Force.
V3,n3,p54 v5,n2,p69 - Mason, W.W. (1954) Prisoners of war. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
- Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139.
- henry neil blundell photos malta 42 harry bealePublic - michael neil - 31 July 2016 - my father h n blundell
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