Alice Springs Memorial Gardens Memorial Ave Alice Springs NT 0870
Cemetery Address
Alice Springs, NT
Section
5
Row
E
Grave Number
12
Notes
CPO EDWARD ROY MORISON BEATON 1716/418 RAN. Edward Beaton was born in late 1896 in Footscray Victoria the son of Jonothan and Gina Morison. He entered the RAN ass a Boy Seaman 2nd Class as part of the first intake of boys into HMAS Tingira on the 1st of June 1912. He was advanced to Boy 1st Class in February 1913 before being rated as a Signal Boy in May 1913. In October 1913 Edward joined the Heavy Cruiser HMAS Australia, but within days he had transferred to the Light Cruiser HMAS Melbourne. Edward would serve continuously in Melbourne from October 1913 until January 1918. During that period he would be advanced to Ordinary Signalman 2nd Class on his 17th birthday, Ordinary Signalman 1st Class on his 18th Birthday, Signalman in December 1915 and to Leading Signalman in January 1918. Whilst on Melbourne he would participate in the New Guinea Campaign and on operations in the West Indies and North American station and in the North Sea. His promotion to Leading Signalman resulted in a posting to the Battle Cruiser HMAS Australia in late January 1918, and two weeks later Edward married Doris Jean Howard in Lancashire, England. In August 1918 he was repatriated to Australia, Doris having to wait until 1919 before the Commonwealth funded her passage to Australia. Edward served at HMAS Cerberus until May 1919 at which time he became part of the Instructional Staff at the Royal Australian Naval College (RANC) at Jervis Bay NSW. On his arrival at the RANC he was advanced to Yeoman of Signals Edward returned to sea in July 1921 on the Light Cruiser HMAS Sydney, transferring to the Depot Ship HMAS Penguin when Sydney paid off into reserve in October 1921. He would serve in Penguin until January 1926 at which time he posted again to HMAS Cerberus. He was advanced to Chief Yeoman of Signals in October 1928. As the Great Depression began to bite, Edward served in HMAS Platypus and the Heavy Cruiser HMAS Canberra before returning to Cerberus in late 1930. In 1930 many men were being made redundant as the RAN shrank. Edward was one of a handful of men who were offered positions in the Auxiliary Services and he transferred at rank with the new official number 418, serving in South Australia, and at times as an assistant lighthouse keeper. In 1942 he transferred back to the Seagoing Forces, however his Service Certificate for this period is indistinct, although it appears he remained in SA serving at the depot HMAS Torrens, until he discharged to shore on the 31st of January 1947. Sadly his wife Doris, a barrister, would pass away of heart failure in February 1944. Edward was an exemplary rating. In his 35 years in uniform, he was never convicted of any offence and his character was always assessed as Very Good and his ability generally as Superior. He was quite possibly the longest serving member of the foundation class of Tingira boys. Edwards life post discharge is unclear. It is known that in 1968 he was living in an “Old Timers Home” in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. He passed away in the Alice Springs’ Hospital on the 14th of November 1971. Edward Beaton is buried in the Alice Springs Memorial Cemetery; his grave is marked with a DVA Plaque. .
