Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands


Captain Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands was a Canadian World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.

Early life

Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on 9 September 1897. He was a minister's son; Canon Beanlands was rector of Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria. Beanlands' mother was Laura Maud Hills. Both parents would predecease their son.
The younger Beanlands was educated at Oundle School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before joining the Hampshire Regiment in December 1914, in the first few months of World War I.

World War I

On 3 March 1916, Beanlands was promoted to lieutenant in the Hampshires. On 31 May 1916, he was forwarded as a second lieutenant to be a Flying Officer with the Royal Flying Corps. On 1 September 1916, he was promoted to temporary lieutenant while serving with the RFC. Five days later, he scored his first aerial victory, killing aces Hans Rosencrantz and Wilhelm Fahlbusch in their reconnaissance two-seater. On 1 December 1916 he was appointed as Flight Commander, with a promotion to temporary captain.
He transferred postings to 24 Squadron, where he scored eight more victories between 25 August 1917 and 18 March 1918. On 11 April 1918, he was reported wounded in action in Flight magazine. By that time, he had won the Military Cross, which was gazetted 25 April 1918:
...He has brought down three enemy aeroplanes out of control and driven down several others over the enemy lines.

List of aerial victories

Beanlands' first victory was scored while he was with 70 Squadron. The rest of his triumphs came with 24 Squadron.
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No.Date/timeAircraftFoeResultLocationNotes
16 September 1916 @ 1845 hoursSopwith 1 1/2 Strutter serial number A1902Roland reconnaissance planeDestroyed by fireElincourt, FranceObserver/gunner: C. A. Good. Victory shared with William Sanday and three other members of the RFC. Wilhelm Fahlbusch, Hans Rosencrantz KIA.
225 August 1917 @ 0600 hoursAirco D.H.5 s/n A9165German reconnaissance planeDestroyed by fireBellenglise, France
325 August 1917 @ 0600 hoursAirco D.H.5 s/n A9165German reconnaissance planeDriven down out of controlBellenglise, FranceShared victory.
413 November 1917 @ 1230 hoursAirco D.H.5 s/n A9304Albatros D.III fighterCapturedSchoorbakke
513 November 1917 @ 1230 hoursAirco D.H.5 s/n A9304Albatros D.III fighterDriven down out of controlSchoorbakke
618 November 1917 @ 1105 hoursAirco D.H.5 s/n A9304Albatros D.III fighterDriven down out of controlNieuwpoort-Dixmude, BelgiumShared victory
730 November 1917 @ 1255 hoursAirco D.H.5 s/n A9304Albatros D.V fighterDriven down out of controlEast of Bourlon Wood
818 March 1918 @ 1140 hoursRoyal Aircraft Factory SE.5a fighter s/n C1081German reconnaissance planeDriven down out of controlVillers Le Sec, FranceVictory shared with Harold Redler

Post World War I

Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands survived the war, only to die in a flying accident at RAF Northolt on 8 May 1919. He was buried in the northwest corner of the new ground in the cemetery of his father's home parish, at Sevenoaks Churchyard, Kent, England.