Subject

Richard Beacon was born on 19 February 1914, the eldest of the three children of Richard Beacon (1893-1958) and Florence Maria Winifred Beacon née Taylor (1896-1983). His birth was registered in Faversham, Kent. His father was a Water Man (Barge Mate).

His brother, Alfred George Beacon (1915-1916), died on 5 September 1916 aged 11 months. Both his birth and death were registered in the Faversham registration district. His sister, Brenda Jean Beacon (1931-2003) was born 31 January 1931 and her birth was registered in the Faversham registration district.

The 1939 England and Wales register shows him as a single man living at 9 St George's Road, Beckenham, Kent and his occupation was listed as a Hotel Barman. By 1941 he had moved and was living at Rayleigh, Maidstone Road, Borough Green, Kent.

He was killed as a result of enemy action, aged 27 years, at about 2.00am on 17 April 1941. He was travelling on the running board of an Auxiliary Fire Service car towing a pump at Wickham Road, Beckenham. They were returning to their station having been fighting a fire in Chancery Lane, London. As the vehicle turned into Court Downs Road to offer assistance at a fire they had come across, a high explosive bomb exploded about 20 feet behind the car and fragments pierced the petrol tank igniting the petrol and the vehicle was enveloped in flames killing him instantly.

He is buried in Beckenham Cemetery and Crematorium, Elmers End Road, Beckenham. He is also commemorated on the Firefighters Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance. His name is also recorded in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour that is held near the entrance to St George's Chapel, at the west end of Westminster Abbey.

See David J. Chalmers for more details of the event.