Background
Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on 9 September 1897.
Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on 9 September 1897.
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.
He was a minister"s son. Canon Beanlands was rector of Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria. Beanlands" mother was Laura Maud Hills.
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 Reconstruction Finance Corporation. 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.
..He has brought down three enemy aeroplanes out of control and driven down several others over the enemy lines. Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands survived the war, only to die in a flying accident at Royal Air Force 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 (Street Nicholas) Churchyard, Kent, England.
Beanlands" first victory was scored while he was with 70 Squadron.
The rest of his triumphs came with 24 Squadron.