WW1 Second Lieutenant Anselm Jerome Beehan 22909

Anselm Jerome Beehan (2 June 1895 – 27 March 1918) (Service number 22909) was one of eight children of the Honourable William and Annie Theresa Beehan living at ‘Kitewai’, 85 Grafton Road.

William had a drapery business in Queen Street and was a keen supporter of the Liberal Party. He was appointed a member of the Legislative Council in 1903 and again in 1910, but died in October 1917 from an infected insect bite.

Anselm attended Marist Brothers Scared Heart College and in 1911 passed the exam to receive a free senior place at Auckland Grammar School. [1] He was a keen athlete and member of the College Rifles Rugby Football Club in Remuera. He worked as a bank clerk at the National Bank and the New Zealand Consolidated Dental Company in Auckland before he enlisted on 15 June 1915. [2]

Anselm Jerome Beehan was killed in action on 27 March 1917, leading the charge against the Germans, in France between Hebuterne and Serre. He died alongside a fellow Officer, and three Privates from his regiment, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 3rd Battalion. The brothers were all keen athletes, excelling in swimming, hockey and cricket and later golf. Like his brother Anselm, Kyrle St James Beehan (Service number 13404) was in the Mounted Rifles, was wounded in the head and invalided out on 2 May 1918. Anselm Jerome Beehan’s other brother, Frederick Joseph Beehan (Service number 76398) was discharged from the Army in 1919 and returned to New Zealand.[3]

Anselm Jerome Beehan is buried in the Grevillers (New Zealand) Memorial in France. He is remembered on the rolls of honour in the Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories; College Rifles Rugby Football Club, Remuera; Auckland Grammar School, and Sacred Heart College. There is a report about him on the following link. http://media.api.aucklandmuseum.com/id/media/public/6bd772a7-f2cd-4980-b886-7553a2f98c9e/original.pdf