Notes
The Bradford Grammar School website (see References) states: 'Joseph Wilfrid Beanland was born on 26th October 1894 at Calverley, Leeds, where his father Joseph was vicar. He subsequently became vicar of Wilsden, before he exchanged livings with the incumbent of Holy Trinity Boston, Lincolnshire. His father John, a grocer and draught beer retailer in Bradford who died in 1880, had left his wife and six children sufficient means to live
without needing to work. Joseph studied at Cambridge, and then married Frances Alexandra Yewdall, daughter of a Bradford solicitor who also owned a cloth dying and finishing concern which employed one hundred workers in 1871.
Their son Wilfrid attended BGS from 1904 until 1913. The Bradford Weekly Telegraph later said that “his charming nature made him a great favourite with both masters and boys. He was a youth of great ability.” His only mention in The Bradfordian was a fourth in Art in 1907. In 1913, the Rev. Beanland conducted a memorial service for C.T. Knaus, the Senior German and Senior History Master, who had taught at BGS since 1891.
A few months later Wilfrid won a place as Bishop Abraham scholar in History at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and was awarded a Lister Scholarship by the School governors. He went up in October 1913. In its early 1914 “Cambridge Letter”, The Bradfordian cryptically
reported that “Beanland spends most of his time cycling up and down Grange Road, attired
in white flannels, looking for the Selwyn hard courts—which, we assure him exist only in his
own imagination.” He rowed in the third boat in the trial eights in the Michaelmas term and was supposed to have been in the May boat of 1914. He also played cricket and rugby.
Beanland had joined the University OTC, and so when War was declared he sought a commission and on 1st September was gazetted as Second Lieutenant in the 7th Royal Welch Fusiliers, a Territorial Army battalion. In March 1915 he was promoted to Lieutenant, and at his death he was temporary Captain. The 7/Royal Welch sailed from Devonport on 19th July, part of 53rd Welsh Division, destined for Gallipoli where an attempt to break the deadlock was made by fresh landings at Suvla Bay on 6-7th August. The 7th disembarked on “C” Beach at dawn on the 9th, the first time they had set foot ashore for three weeks. The following day they were ordered forward to Sujalik. There was considerable confusion in the bridgehead, inadequate orders and maps, shortage of water and burning heat made
worse by scrub fires. They were pulled out of the line on 13th, and into a ravine at dawn the next day. In four days they suffered 200 casualties, including most of their officers killed or wounded.
The official date for Beanland’s death was given as 14th August, however his commanding officer reported “Lieut. Beanland was last seen at 5.20 p.m. on the 10th Aug., gallantly leading his men with a few others whom he had gathered together. It was always a very great pleasure to me how much he had the interests of his men at heart, who would follow him anywhere, as they were devotedly attached to him.” His body was not recovered and his name is on the Helles Memorial, and also on the Wilsden village war memorial.'