Sidney Charles Beckham

A Deck Hand with HMS Halcyon II, Sidney on 6th of December 1918 aged 22.

Sidney was born at Lowestoft on 7 June 1896, a son of Joshua and Alice Beckham. By 1901 Sidney’s father had died and his family lived at The Mariner’s Inn, Mariner’s Street, where his mother was the innkeeper. By 1911 they were living at 5 Nelson Terrace, Pakefield, and Sidney was a caddie at the golf course. They were still living at 5 Nelson Terrace in 1915 and later his mother lived at 2 Tram Terminus, Pakefield.

On 26 November 1918 Sidney married Mary Ann Rutter at Saint Margaret’s Church. They both gave their address as 41 Melbourne Road. Later Mary lived at 31 Melbourne Road, then 6 Park Road. She married Charles Oldman and lived at 37 Melbourne Road. 

Sidney joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 24 February 1915. In March 1915 he joined the trawler Ex Fortis and on 4 June 1915 he joined the trawler Good Design II. His service record suggests that he served on another trawler until 4 July 1917, but the name is illegible and so the vessel cannot be identified, however another note on his record suggests that he was with the Good Design II until that date. It appears that he then joined the Carmania at Malta and, on 25 August 1917 was drafted to H.M.S. Halcyon to serve on another vessel. Again, details on his service record are unclear but this may have been a P-Class patrol boat.  

Sidney died from pneumonia at Gunton Hospital, Lowestoft. He was on marriage leave at the time of his death. 

Sidney’s name appears on the war memorial at Saint Margaret’s Church.