Revs. Peel, Gooderham and Beresford, D.S.O. 245 



burst close beside him and he only lived a few minutes after 

 being hit. 



He had not passed through those three years quite un- 

 scathed, having been wounded on April 24, 1915, and gassed 

 in September of the same year. 



After the April wound he was sent home from hospital to be 

 nursed. Westerham was overjoyed to see him again. 



His promotion had followed quickly on his arrival at the 

 front, and when he died he was a Lieutenant-Colonel and had 

 been mentioned in despatches twice. It was at Bullecourt in 

 March, 1917, he won his D.S.O. : " For conspicuous gallantry 

 and ability in command of his battalion during heavy enemy 

 counter-attacks. The skill with which he handled his reserves 

 was of the utmost assistance to the division on his right, and his 

 determination enabled us to hold on to an almost impossible 

 position. He repulsed three counter-attacks and lost heavily 

 in doing so." 



The assistance referred to was given to an Australian 

 Division. A most appreciative letter was written by the 

 General in command to his next-of-kin, who is his sister, Miss 

 Beresford, but it is put away amongst other precious things in 

 the bank until the end of the war, so I am unable to reproduce it. 



The Adjutant of his battalion was present when Beresford 

 was mortally wounded, and gives a graphic picture of the last 

 scene ; and so does Dr. Maude, who was in the same regi- 

 ment with him. When Colonel Beresford was hit by a shell 

 bursting close to him, he turned to the Adjutant saying, " I'm 

 finished — carry on." A painful pause ; then, to the field-doctor 

 who went to see what could be done for him, " I'm finished ; 

 don't bother about me, attend to the others." A smile lit up 

 his pale, handsome, and still boyish face. " Look after my 

 sister. ..." A longer pause, and, " This is a fine death for a 

 Beresford," and he was gone. 



I have been unable to get many particulars of this time ; 

 all where he fell are fighting for their lives, and ours, and much 

 that I should like to know I must wait for until happier times. 



Dr. Maude writes, " His work as a commanding officer was 

 extraordinary. He never spared himself, and though he worked 

 his officers very hard they adored him. It was a pleasure to see 

 the terms on which he was with his junior officers. , . . He was 



