George Beamish
Birth name | George Robert Beamish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | (1905-04-29)29 April 1905 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Dunmanway, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 13 November 1967(1967-11-13) (aged 62) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Castlerock, Northern Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Coleraine Academical Institution | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Sir George Beamish | |
---|---|
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Royal Air Force |
Years of service | 1923–58 |
Rank | Air Marshal |
Commands held | Technical Training Command (1955–58) Transport Command (1954–55) Air Headquarters Iraq (1950–52) Royal Air Force College Cranwell (1949–50) No. 45 Group (1945–46) No. 44 Group (1943–45) |
Battles/wars | Second World War |
Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Mentioned in Despatches (2) Gold Cross of the Royal Order of George I (Greece) Officer of the Legion of Merit (United States) |
Air Marshal Sir George Robert Beamish, KCB, CBE (29 April 1905 – 13 November 1967) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force from the Second World War to his retirement in the late 1950s. Prior to the Second World War, while Beamish was in the RAF, he was a keen rugby union player, playing for Leicester and being capped 26 times for Ireland and was selected for the 1930 British Lions tour. He was also the chairman of the RAF Rugby Union and an Air Force rugby selector.
Personal history
George Beamish was born in Dunmanway, Ireland on 29 April 1905.[1] He attended the Coleraine Academical Institution[2] and he and his three younger brothers, Victor, Charles and Cecil were all accomplished sportsmen and went on to join the RAF, Charles also being capped by Ireland.[3]
From 1923 Beamish attended the RAF College, Cranwell as a flight cadet and after he was commissioned in late 1924, Beamish was posted as a pilot on No. 100 Squadron.[4] In 1934 he was made Flight Commander of No. 45 Squadron and in 1936 he was made Squadron Leader.[5]
After attending RAF Staff College in 1937 he was attached to the Air Staff.[4] In 1939 he was made Senior Operations Officer for Palestine and Transjordan. On 17 May 1941 he was appointed senior RAF officer on Crete overseeing the reception of units after their withdrawal from Greece.[4] To aid him in this task he was allocated two RAF squadrons from Egypt, 30 and 205 to bolster the fighters already stationed on the island.[4] But following the German Invasion of Crete this action turned into the defence of the island. Unable to convince the Army Commander of the need to defeat the invaders from the air, the island fell and Beamish ordered the RAF squadrons to withdraw to Egypt on 19 May.[4] Beamish remained on Crete to assist General Freyberg, both men escaping the island aboard a Sunderland in late May.[4] He was then appointed Senior Air Staff Officer first at Western Desert Air Force, then at North African Tactical Air Forces and then at Second Tactical Air Force before progressing to the roles of Air Officer Commanding No. 44 Group and then No. 45 Group.[4]
After the war he became President of the RAF Selection Board and then Director of Weapons at the Air Ministry in 1947.[4] He went on to be Commandant of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell in 1949, Air Officer Commanding, Air Headquarters Iraq in 1950 and Director-General of Personnel in 1952.[4] His last appointments were as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Transport Command in 1954 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Technical Training Command in 1955.[4] In 1955, Beamish was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.[6] He retired in 1958.[4]
In 1962 he was made High Sheriff of County Londonderry.[7]
Rugby career
Beamish won his first international cap in 1925, at the age of 19, representing Ireland in that year's Home Nations Championship in a six all draw with England. At the time he was representing Coleraine at club level.[8] Beamish was then selected for the remaining games of the tournament, a home loss to Scotland and an impressive 19–3 win over Wales. During the 1927–28 season, and now playing club rugby for Leicester, Beamish was approached to play for invitational touring team the Barbarians.[9]
In 1928, nearly three years after his last international game, Beamish was recalled to the Ireland team. From the first game of the 1928 Five Nations Championship until the end of the 1933 tournament Beamish was rarely out of the squad. In 1930 Beamish was selected for the British Isles team on their tour of Australia and New Zealand.[10] He played in all five Tests and 17 of the regional matches, scoring two tries, one each against Otago and a joint Marlborough/Nelson Bay team.[10]
After the British tour Beamish returned to the Ireland squad for the 1931 Championship playing in all four games. He was then selected as Ireland team captain when the team faced the 1931 touring South African team in Dublin. He retained the captaincy for the 1932 Home Nations Championship, and steered Ireland to their first Championship win for twenty years. The 1933 campaign was Beamish's last for Ireland, playing in all three games and captaining the team in a win over Wales. During his career, Beamish also played club rugby for London Irish and was captain of the RAF rugby side.[11]
George Beamish is also credited with getting the green of Ireland represented in the kit currently worn by the British & Irish Lions. On the 1930 tour to New Zealand, of which he was a member, the tourists wore what was by then the standard blue jerseys. These themselves caused some controversy because the New Zealand side, by then already synonymous with the appellation "All Blacks", had an all black kit that clashed with the Lions' blue. After much reluctance and debate, but having to defer to the rugby custom of accommodating guests, New Zealand agreed to change for the Tests and the All Blacks became the All Whites for the first time. Also on that tour, a delegation led by George Beamish expressed their displeasure at the fact that whilst the blue of Scotland, white of England and red of Wales were represented in the strip there was no green for Ireland. A green flash was added to the socks, which from 1938 became a green turnover and that has remained a feature of the strip ever since.[12]
References
- ^ George Beamish player profile ESPN Scrum.com
- ^ Coleraine Archived 8 September 2012 at archive.today schoolsguidebook.co.uk
- ^ "The Beamish brothers". RAF Golf Association. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation: Air Marshal Sir George Beamish". rafweb.org. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
- ^ "No. 34345". The London Gazette. 1 December 1936. p. 7741.
- ^ "No. 40497". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 June 1955. p. 3259.
- ^ "The Belfast Gazette, 5th January, 1962" (PDF). Belfast Gazette. 5 January 1962. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
- ^ Godwin, Terry (1984). The International Rugby Championship 1883–1983. London: Willow Books. p. 153. ISBN 0-00-218060-X.
- ^ Starmer-Smith, Nigel (1977). The Barbarians. Macdonald & Jane's Publishers. p. 217. ISBN 0-86007-552-4.
- ^ a b George Beamish Lions profile Lionsrugby.com
- ^ RAFRU History RAF.mod.uk
- ^ Richard Bath, The British & Irish Lions Miscellany, page 77, 2008, (Vision Sports Publishing:London)
Military offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by | RAF College Commandant 1949–1950 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Commander-in-Chief Transport Command 1954–1955 | Succeeded by Sir Andrew McKee |
Preceded by | Commander-in-Chief Technical Training Command 1955–1958 | Succeeded by |
- v
- t
- e
- Feb 1875: G.H. Stack
- Dec 1875: R.J. Bell
- Feb 1877: R. Galbraith
- Feb 1877: W.H. Wilson
- Mar 1878: R.B. Walkington
- 1879: W.C. Neville
- 1880: H.C. Kelly
- 1881–Jan 1882: A.J. Forrest
- Feb 1882: J.W. Taylor
- 1883: G. Scriven
- Feb 1884: J.A. McDonald
- Mar 1884: D.F. Moore
- Feb 1885: W.G. Rutherford
- Mar 1885: A.J. Forrest
- Feb 1886: M. Johnston
- Feb 1886: J.P. Ross
- 1887: R.G. Warren
- Feb–Mar 1888: H.J. Neill
- Dec 1888–90: R.G. Warren
- Feb–Mar 1891: Dolway Walkington
- Mar 1891: R. Stevenson
- 1892: Victor Le Fanu
- 1893: Sam Lee
- 1894: Edmund Forrest
- Feb 1895: J.H. O'Conor
- Mar 1895: Charles Rooke
- Mar 1895: Edmund Forrest
- 1896: Sam Lee
- 1897: Edmund Forrest
- Feb 1898: Sam Lee
- Feb 1898: G.G. Allen
- Mar 1898: W. Gardiner
- 1899–1900: Louis Magee
- 1901: Louis Magee
- Feb 1902: J. Fulton
- Mar 1902: Louis Magee
- 1903–Feb 1904: Harry Corley
- Mar 1904–06: Charles Allen
- Feb 1906: Alfred Tedford
- Feb 1906–07: Charles Allen
- Feb 1908: Harry Thrift
- Feb–Mar 1908: James Parke
- Feb 1909: Fred Gardiner
- Mar 1909: George Hamlet
- Mar 1909: Fred Gardiner
- Feb 1910: George Hamlet
- Mar 1910: Tom Smyth
- Mar 1910–11: George Hamlet
- Jan 1912: Dickie Lloyd
- Feb 1912: Alexander Foster
- Feb 1912–Feb 1914: Dickie Lloyd
- Feb–Mar 1914: Alexander Foster
- Feb 1920: Dickie Lloyd
- Feb 1920: George Doherty
- Mar 1920: Thomas Wallace
- Apr 1920: Dickie Lloyd
- 1921: George Doherty
- Feb 1922: William Collopy
- Apr 1922–23: John Thompson
- Jan–Feb 1924: William Crawford
- Feb 1924: William Collopy
- Mar 1924–27: William Crawford
- 1928–Feb 1929: George Stephenson
- Feb 1929: Eugene Davy
- Mar 1929–30: George Stephenson
- 1931: Mark Sugden
- 1932: George Beamish
- Feb 1933: Eugene Davy
- Mar 1932: George Beamish
- Apr 1933: Eugene Davy
- 1934–36: Jack Siggins
- 1937–Feb 1938: George Morgan
- Mar 1938: Sam Walker
- 1939: George Morgan
- Jan–Feb 1947: Con Murphy
- Feb–Mar 1947: Deryck Monteith
- Dec 1947–Jan 1948: Ernest Strathdee
- Feb 1948–Mar 1951: Karl Mullen
- Dec 1951–Sep 1952: Des O'Brien
- Jan 1953–Jan 1954: Jack Kyle
- Feb–Mar 1954: Jim McCarthy
- Jan 1955: Robin Thompson
- Feb 1955: Jim McCarthy
- Feb–Mar 1955: Robin Thompson
- Jan–Feb 1956: Jim Ritchie
- Feb 1956–Apr 1958: Noel Henderson
- Feb–Apr 1959: Ronnie Dawson
- Feb–Mar 1960: Andy Mulligan
- Apr 1960–May 1961: Ronnie Dawson
- Feb–Nov 1962: Bill Mulcahy
- Jan 1963: Tom Kiernan
- Feb–Mar 1963: Bill Mulcahy
- Dec 1963: James Kelly
- Feb–Mar 1964: Bill Mulcahy
- Jan 1965–Feb 1966: Ray McLoughlin
- Mar 1966: Tom Kiernan
- Jan–Apr 1967: Noel Murphy
- May 1967–Jan 1971: Tom Kiernan
- Feb–Mar 1971: Mike Gibson
- Jan 1972–Feb 1973: Tom Kiernan
- Mar 1973–Mar 1975: Willie John McBride
- Jan–Feb 1976: Mike Gibson
- Feb 1976–Mar 1977: Tom Grace
- Jan–Mar 1978: John Moloney
- Nov 1978: Shay Deering
- Jan 1979–Nov 1981: Fergus Slattery
- Jan 1982–Feb 1984: Ciaran Fitzgerald
- Feb–Mar 1984: Willie Duggan
- Nov 1984–Mar 1986: Ciaran Fitzgerald
- Nov 1986–Apr 1988: Donal Lenihan
- Oct 1988–Mar 1989: Phillip Matthews
- Nov 1989–Feb 1990: Willie Anderson
- Mar–Oct 1990: Donal Lenihan
- Feb–Mar 1991: Rob Saunders
- July 1991: Phillip Matthews
- July 1991: Rob Saunders
- Oct 1991–Feb 1992: Phillip Matthews
- Oct 1991: Terry Kingston
- Mar–May 1992: Phil Danaher
- Jun 1992: Michael Bradley
- Oct 1992: Phil Danaher
- Jan 1993–Nov 1994: Michael Bradley
- Jan 1995: Brendan Mullin
- Feb–Mar 1995: Michael Bradley
- Mar–May 1995: Terry Kingston
- May 1995: Nick Popplewell
- Jun 1995: Terry Kingston
- Nov 1995–Feb 1996: Jim Staples
- Mar–Nov 1996: Niall Hogan
- Nov 1996–Jan 1997: Keith Wood
- Feb–Mar 1997: Jim Staples
- Nov 1997: Keith Wood
- Nov 1997: Nick Popplewell
- Dec 1997–Apr 1998: Keith Wood
- Jun 1998–Apr 1999: Paddy Johns
- Jun–Oct 1999: Dion O'Cuinneagain
- 2000–Feb 2001: Keith Wood
- Jun 2001: Mick Galwey
- Sep–Oct 2001: Keith Wood
- Nov 2001: Anthony Foley
- Nov 2001: Keith Wood
- Feb–Mar 2002: Mick Galwey
- Mar 2002: David Humphreys
- Apr–Jun 2002: Keith Wood
- Sep 2002: Anthony Foley
- Sep 2002: Keith Wood
- Sep 2002: Anthony Foley
- Nov 2002–Mar 2003: Brian O'Driscoll
- Jun 2003: David Humphreys
- Jun 2003: Reggie Corrigan
- Aug 2003: Keith Wood
- Aug 2003: Brian O'Driscoll
- Sep–Nov 2003: Keith Wood
- Feb 2004: Paul O'Connell
- Feb 2004– Feb 2005: Brian O'Driscoll
- Feb 2005: Paul O'Connell
- Feb–Mar 2005: Brian O'Driscoll
- Jun 2005: David Humphreys
- Nov 2005: Simon Easterby
- Nov 2005: David Humphreys
- 2006–Feb 2007: Brian O'Driscoll
- Feb 2007: Paul O'Connell
- Feb–Mar 2007: Brian O'Driscoll
- May–Jun 2007: Simon Best
- Aug 2007: Brian O'Driscoll
- Aug 2007: Paul O'Connell
- Sep 2007–Mar 2008: Brian O'Driscoll
- Mar 2008: Ronan O'Gara
- Jun 2008–Mar 2009: Brian O'Driscoll
- May 2009: Rory Best
- Nov 2009–Mar 2011: Brian O'Driscoll
- Aug 2011: Leo Cullen
- Aug 2011: Brian O'Driscoll
- Aug 2011: Paul O'Connell
- Sep 2011: Brian O'Driscoll
- Sep 2011: Leo Cullen
- Oct 2011: Brian O'Driscoll
- Feb 2012–Mar 2012: Paul O'Connell
- Mar 2012: Rory Best
- Jun 2012: Brian O'Driscoll
- Nov 2012–Mar 2013: Jamie Heaslip
- Jun 2013: Peter O'Mahony
- Nov 2013: Jamie Heaslip
- Nov 2013: Paul O'Connell
- Feb 2014: Jamie Heaslip
- Feb–Nov 2014: Paul O'Connell
- Nov 2014: Eoin Reddan
- Nov 2014–Mar 2015: Paul O'Connell
- Aug 2015: Jamie Heaslip
- Aug 2015: Seán O'Brien
- Aug–Sep 2015: Paul O'Connell
- Sep 2015: Jamie Heaslip
- Oct 2015: Paul O'Connell
- Oct 2015: Jamie Heaslip
- Feb 2016–Nov 2016: Rory Best
- Nov 2016: Peter O'Mahony
- Nov 2016–Feb 2017: Rory Best
- Feb 2017: Jamie Heaslip
- Feb–Mar 2017: Rory Best
- Jun 2017: Rhys Ruddock
- Nov 2017: Rory Best
- Nov 2017: Rhys Ruddock
- Feb-Mar 2018: Rory Best
- Jun 2018: Peter O'Mahony
- Nov 2018: Rhys Ruddock
- Nov 2018-Feb 2019: Rory Best
- Feb 2019: Peter O'Mahony
- Mar 2019: Rory Best
- Aug 2019: Rhys Ruddock
- Aug 2019: Rory Best
- Aug 2019: Peter O'Mahony
- Oct 2019: Johnny Sexton