Search results Next record Previous record English Māori Thomas Robinson Beckitt Born 18 August 1927 - Died 17 November 2006 PDF Key details Service numberL36258 AWMM Malaya 36258 AWMM Also known as Armed force / branchArmy AWMM Last rankWarrant Officer Class 2 AWMM WarWorld War II, 1939-1945 AWMM Malaya, 1960-1964 AWMM Regular Military Service AWMM Enquire Lay a poppy Long Service & Good Conduct Medal No known copyright restrictions. View gallery Hide sources Show empty fields Identity About Contribute › Title ForenamesThomas Robinson AWMM SurnameBeckitt AWMM Ingoa Also known as Service numberL36258 AWMM Malaya 36258 AWMM GenderMale AWMM Iwi Hapū Waka Rohe Religion Images and documents Images Contribute › Report › Report › Report › Report › Report › Documents Contribute › Civilian life About birth Contribute › Birth18 August 1927 AWMM Dewsbury, Yorkshire AWMM Date of birth Place of birth Birth notes Address before enlistment Post war occupationParliamentary Messenger/Civilian AWMM Next of kin on embarkation Relationship status Service Wars and conflicts Contribute › WarWorld War II, 1939-1945 AWMM Malaya, 1960-1964 AWMM Regular Military Service AWMM Campaign Armed force / branchArmy AWMM Service numberL36258 AWMM Malaya 36258 AWMM Military serviceMotor Transport Workshops AWMM New Zealand Army AWMM Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers Military decorations Contribute › Medals and AwardsDefence Medal AWMM War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM General Service Medal 1918-62 (Palestine 1945-48 clasp) AWMM New Zealand Operational Service Medal AWMM New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike) (Malaya 1960-64 clasp) AWMM New Zealand Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal AWMM Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) Medal AWMM Training and Enlistment Contribute › Military training Branch Trade Proficiency EnlistmentWW2 7 June 1945 AWMM Occupation before enlistment Age on enlistment Embarkations Contribute › Embarkation detailsWW2 Royal Armoured Corps AWMM British Army AWMM Malaya 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) AWMM British Army AWMM 2nd Embarkation AWMM Malaya Corporal/Military AWMM New Zealand Regiment, 1 Battalion, Headquarters AWMM British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve AWMM 3rd Embarkation AWMM Prisoner of war Contribute › Capture details Days interned Liberation date Liberation Repatriation POW liberation details POW serial number Medical history Contribute › Medical notes Last known rank Contribute › Last rank6 January 1977 AWMM Warrant Officer Class 2 AWMM Biographical information Biographical information Contribute › British Army - 1945 - 1952Thomas first enlisted in the British Army on 13 April 1945. It was soon found he was underage and he was promptly transferred to the Reserve. He was eventually called up for basic training in Bovington Camp on 7 June 1945. On completion of basic training he entered Barnard Castle for Royal Armoured Corps training and on completion of this training he was posted to the training staff at Barnard Castle Thomas took his discharge on 15 October 1947, re-enlisting with the same unit on 16 October 1947.In February 1948 he moved to Palestine on posting to 17/21 Lancers. He remained there until posted to 13/18 Royal Hussars in North Africa. He returned from North Africa to the Royal Armoured Corps School for training as an electrician vehicle and plant.In January 1950 he returned to the 13/18 Hussars and moved with the unit to Malaya in July 1950. On return from Malaya he was posted back to the Royal Armoured Corps school at Bovington. Tom transfered to the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers on 1 January 1952 and was discharged from the British Army on 1 April 1952 after serving at home and with the Middle East Land Forces, doing two tours.New Zealand Army 1955 - 1977: L36258 Warrant Officer Class TwoTom enlisted in the New Zealand Army (whilst in England) on 16 February 1955. On arrival in New Zealand Craftsman Beckitt was posted to Central District Motor Transport Workshop, Waiouru, as an Electrician Vehicle and Plant. In 1955 Thomas represented the New Zealand Army in Boxing. Tom remained in Waiouru completing various courses until posting to Northern District Workshop, Papakura, in November 1957. Tom was promoted to Lance Corporal in August of that year and to Corporal in April 1960.Tom moved to Burnham in May 1961 on posting to the 1st Battalion, New Zealand Regiment, returning to Malaya with the Battalion in November of that year. He was promoted to Sergeant in April 1963 while with the Battalion. On return to New Zealand in November that year he was posted to Central District Motor Transport Workshop, Trentham. Tom remained with the CDMT workshop until 31 December when, on formation of 1 Base Workshop, the two units amalgamated.During 1969 Tom completed his artificer courses and was promoted Staff Sergeant in October that year His promotion also included trade reclassification to Artificer Electrical. He attended his Warrant Officer promotion course over the period April to May 1971. Tom moved from Trentham to the then headquarters Home Command in January 1973 in the appointment of Technical Advisor. This was followed in December the same year with a move to the Army Supply Documentation Centre in Upper Hutt and promotion to Warrant Officer Class Two.Tom took his release from the New Zealand Army on 6 January 1977 after some 30 years service in both the British and New Zealand Army. His field of expertise being an A Grade Auto Electrician MINZMI and Warrant Officer IIOtherTom continued his association with the Army for many years working as a civilian at the Army Supply Documentation Centre and maintained his membership of the Trentham Camp Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess until his death in 2006.He also worked for several years as a Parliamentary Messenger in Wellington.There is an entry for Thomas in the publication 'The New Zealand Roll of Honour 1845 - 1945His funeral service was held with military honours and his body cremated. His ashes are interred in the Returned Services section at Akatarawa Cemetery, Upper Hutt.He is survived by his wife Margaret, daughter Sandra, son Antony (Tony), grandson Alexander, granddaughter Chelsea and two great grandsons Harrison and Connor. AWMM Read more Death About death Contribute › Death17 November 2006 Cemetery Record Date of death Age at death Place of death Cause of death Death notes CemeteryAkatarawa Cemetery, Akatarawa Valley, Upper Hutt, Wellington AWMM RSA Section AWMM Cemetery name Grave reference Obituary Memorial name Memorial reference Memorials Memorial Contribute › Memorial name Roll of Honour Remember Thomas Robinson Beckitt by laying a poppy. Leslie Barton Beckingsale Ernest Beckinsale Thomas Robinson Beckitt Neville James Beckley Ronald Joseph Beckley Lay a poppy for 2021 Leave a note Leave a tribute or memory of Thomas Robinson Beckitt Leave a note Contribute › Processing Related objects 1st Battalion, New Zealand Regiment - Scrapbook regarding Terendak Camp,… Library / Pictorial › manuscripts and archives MS-2010-26 Sources Sources Contribute › External links DocumentsTaylor, A. (1998). The New Zealand roll of honour : New Zealanders who have served their country in peace and war : 150 years, 1845-1995. Auckland, N.Z.: Roll of Honour Publications. AWMM Information kindly provided by family AWMM 1NZR Roll 1961-1963 - Bill Russell, Malayan Veterans Association Scrapbook – 40th Anniversary edition. AWMM DECEASED, 1 NZ Regiment, 1961-63 – Internet resource. AWMM This record was partially created from Cemetery research completed by Carol Foster (2021). AWMM Contributors Processing Command item Command item Add new record Refresh DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact 27 March 2017MargaretTweed Heads, AustraliaWife 10 March 2017Sandragold coast, australiaChild The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided. Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License Search results Next record Previous record