The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (489) Trooper Neil Beaton, 7th Light Horse Regiment, AIF, First World War.

Places
Accession Number AWM2016.2.24
Collection type Film
Object type Last Post film
Physical description 16:9
Maker Australian War Memorial
Place made Australia: Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Campbell
Date made 24 January 2016
Access Open
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons License This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Copying Provisions Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Description

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (489) Trooper Neil Beaton, 7th Light Horse Regiment, AIF, First World War.

Film order form
Speech transcript

489 Trooper Neil Beaton, 7th Light Horse Regiment, AIF
DOW 13 October, 1915 No photograph in collection – family supplied

Story delivered 24 January 2016

Today we remember and pay tribute to Trooper Neil Beaton, who was killed while serving in the First World War.

Neil Beaton was born on 6 April 1888 at Casterton, Victoria, to Roderick and Eliza Beaton. He spent his early years in Casterton and attended the local public school. Following his father’s death in 1889, his mother moved the family to Mount Gambier in South Australia.

At the outbreak of the First World War Beaton was working as a groom somewhere in New South Wales. He attested for service in Sydney on 12 September, but it wasn’t until 8 October that he enlisted. He joined the 7th Light Horse Regiment and was posted to C Squadron.

Beaton embarked with his regiment in December aboard the transport ship Ajana. Following a brief period of training in Egypt, the 7th Light Horse was sent, unmounted, to Gallipoli as reinforcements. It was stationed at the southern end of Anzac, where it played a mainly defensive role.

At 11 am on 10 October the Australians and Turkish artillery had a brisk exchange of fire. The 7th Light Horse suffered five men severely wounded and four slightly wounded. One of those severely wounded was Beaton, who sustained shrapnel wounds to his neck, hand, and leg.

He was evacuated to a casualty clearing station before being transferred to the hospital ship Formosa. There the severity of his wounds proved too much, and he died on 13 October 1915. He was buried at sea between Mudros and Malta. He was 27 years old.

Following the war, Beaton’s name was added to the Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing on Gallipoli. His name is also listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War. His photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Trooper Neil Beaton, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section

  • Video of The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (489) Trooper Neil Beaton, 7th Light Horse Regiment, AIF, First World War. (video)