Lieutenant Harold Van Allen Bealer

Lieutenant, 42nd Battalion, Infantry (Army).

Distinguished Conduct Medal (Trench Raid, January, 1, 1917.)
Description: For conspicuous gallantry in action. He carried out a successful reconnaissance and obtained most valuable information. Later he repeatedly carried messages under fire. He was severely wounded
Date of award: 1917-02-13
Date of award: 1917-02-13
Source: The London Gazette; February 13, 1917. Supplement 29940. Page 1571.
Comment: Mon., Jan 1, 1917   At 1.55 am. an organized raiding party consisting of Lieuts. MacNaughton and Martin, Sergts. Bealer, Smith, and Corporal Plowe, Ptes. Maquard, Sedgwick, Richardson and Hepburn left Common Sap Lieut. MacNaughton went out in advance and placed a covering party of bombers about five yards in front of the German wire in the centre of the gap between Common and Birkin craters. Lieut. Martin, followed by Sergt. Bealer, Sergt. Smith and Pte. Maquard, and on reaching the covering party they were joined by Lieut. MacNaughton. The party then proceeded round the lip of Common Crater. They worked their way through the enemy wire and entered his trench at approximately S.28.a.45,948. They proceeded along the trench for a short distance, and on account of the mud being so heavy it was decided to split the party, and move along the parapet and parados. Lieut. MacNaughton and Sergt. Bealer followed the parados, and Lieut. Martin, Sergt. Smith and Pte. Maquard the parapet, until they got to a point near a junction with a communication trench immediately to the right of Birkin Crater where an enemy post was suspected. After waiting at this junction for about 20 minutes, two enemy sentries were observed, one in an improvised shelter, the other in the trench, the latter a moving patrol. As the sentry approached the raiding party, Sergt. Bealer slipped into the trench, held him up at the point of a revolver and forced him to surrender. At the same time Pte. Maquard assuming to be the Sergt.Major called the second sentry from his shelter. The latter came to the entrance and finding himself surrounded dropped his rifle, and threw up his hands. The party then proceeded back and reached our trenches with two prisoners at 3.05 am. Without casualties. Both prisoners belonged to the 23rd. R.I.R.

Military Medal

Son of of C. Fred and Carrie Van Allen Bealer, of Easton, Penn., U.S.A. Death officially listed as Suicide.

Mon., Jan 1, 1917

At 1.55 am. an organized raiding party consisting of Lieuts. MacNaughton and Martin, Sergts. Bealer, Smith, and Corporal Plowe, Ptes. Maquard, Sedgwick, Richardson and Hepburn left Common Sap Lieut. MacNaughton went out in advance and placed a covering party of bombers about five yards in front of the German wire in the centre of the gap between Common and Birkin craters. Lieut. Martin, followed by Sergt. Bealer, Sergt. Smith and Pte. Maquard, and on reaching the covering party they were joined by Lieut. MacNaughton. The party then proceeded round the lip of Common Crater. They worked their way through the enemy wire and entered his trench at approximately S.28.a.45,948. They proceeded along the trench for a short distance, and on account of the mud being so heavy it was decided to split the party, and move along the parapet and parados. Lieut. MacNaughton and Sergt. Bealer followed the parados, and Lieut. Martin, Sergt. Smith and Pte. Maquard the parapet, until they got to a point near a junction with a communication trench immediately to the right of Birkin Crater where an enemy post was suspected. After waiting at this junction for about 20 minutes, two enemy sentries were observed, one in an improvised shelter, the other in the trench, the latter a moving patrol. As the sentry approached the raiding party, Sergt. Bealer slipped into the trench, held him up at the point of a revolver and forced him to surrender. At the same time Pte. Maquard assuming to be the Sergt.Major called the second sentry from his shelter. The latter came to the entrance and finding himself surrounded dropped his rifle, and threw up his hands. The party then proceeded back and reached our trenches with two prisoners at 3.05 am. Without casualties. Both prisoners belonged to the 23rd. R.I.R.