The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (403104) Flying Officer Argyle Donald Beatty, No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Second World War.

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 Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (403104) Flying Officer Argyle Donald Beatty, No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Second World War.

403104 Flying Officer Argyle Donald Beatty, No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force
DOW 10 September 1942
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 3 August 2016

Today we pay tribute to Flying Officer Argyle Donald Beatty, who was killed on active service with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

Born in the Sydney suburb of Stanmore on 27 April 1920, Argyle Beatty was the son of James Curry Beatty and Susan Georgina Beatty.

After the outbreak of the Second World War Beatty enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. He began training as a pilot and soon embarked for overseas service. As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, Beatty was one of almost 27,500 RAAF pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners, and engineers who joined squadrons based in Britain throughout the course of the war.

After arriving in Britain, Beatty undertook further specialist training before being posted to No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force. As part of the RAF’s Bomber Command, the squadron was at that time equipped with the twin-engine Avro Manchester heavy bomber.

On the night of 6 June 1942 the aircraft piloted by Beatty was participating in a raid on Emden, Germany. Heading home after the raid, the Manchester developed engine trouble and crashed into the North Sea. One of the crew – fellow Australian Sergeant Ronald Burton – was killed instantly in the crash.

Beatty was badly wounded, but he and his surviving crewmates were later rescued by a German seaplane and became prisoners of war. Three months after the crash, Beatty succumbed to his injuries and died while still a prisoner of war in Germany, on 10 September 1942. He was buried in the British and Commonwealth War Cemetery at Sage, near Oldenburg in Germany. His crewmates survived the war.

Beatty’s name is listed here on the Roll of Honour on my left, among some 40,000 others who died while serving in the Second World War.

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

Dr Lachlan Grant
Historian, Military History Section