Alister Beal

Vice Admiral Alister Francis Beal CB CMG DSO (21 March 1875 – 18 October 1962) was a Royal Navy officer who became Commodore Commanding the New Zealand Division.

Alister Beal
Born21 March 1875
Glamis, Forfarshire, Scotland
Died18 October 1962 (1962-10-19) (aged 87)
Bromley, Kent, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service1888–1926
RankVice Admiral
Commands heldHMS Weymouth
HMS Chatham
New Zealand Division
Battles/warsWorld War I
Battle of Durazzo (1918)
AwardsCommander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Distinguished Service Order
Silver Medal of Military Valor (Italy)
Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)

Beal joined the Royal Navy as a 13 year old on 15 July 1888.[1] He was commissioned as a midshipman in 1894[2] and served in World War I becoming Commanding Officer of the cruiser HMS Weymouth in February 1918[3] and being awarded the DSO for his services at the bombardment of Durazzo in October 1918.[4] He went on to Command HMS Chatham (which had been lent to the New Zealand Station) in July 1923[3] before becoming Commodore Commanding the New Zealand Division in August 1923 until he retired in 1926.[5] He was appointed CB in the 1926 Birthday Honours[6] and promoted to Vice-Admiral while on the retired list.[7]

Beal was appointed as an Officer of the French Legion of Honour while serving on HMS Weymouth. He was awarded the Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor for operations at Durazzo on 2 October 1918.[8]

Family

He was married to Mabel Constance Annie Youl.[9]

References
  1. Royal Naval Officers' Service Records Index, 1756-1931
  2. "No. 26667". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 October 1895. p. 5406.
  3. Royal Navy Warships Archived 15 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "No. 31236". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 March 1919. p. 3589.
  5. Senior Royal Navy Appointments Archived 15 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "No. 33179". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 July 1926. p. 4403.
  7. "Royal Navy Flag Officers 1904-1945". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  8. "No. 31130". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 January 1919. p. 886.
  9. Marriages Sydney Morning Herald, 13 August 1926
Military offices
Preceded by
Alan Hotham		 Commander-in-Chief, New Zealand Division
1923–1926		 Succeeded by
George Swabey
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