User:KAVEBEAR/George Healii Beckley Kahea

George Healii Kahea Beckley

George Healii Beckley Kahea (May 5, 1886 – April 15, 1921) was a British Army soldier who fought in World War I. He received the Military Medal for his carrying messages across heavy fire which helped save his battalion from annihilation. Of Native Hawaiian and British descent, he was born and raised on the island of Oʻahu. In 1914, he journeyed to Europe, adopted his great-grandfather's British surname and enlisted in the British Army. From 1914 to 1919, he fought in France and Belgium and was part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. He returned to Hawaii after his military service and began an electrical engineer. He died in 1921 after being electrocuted on his job.

Life

He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on May 5, 1886,[note 1] during the Hawaiian Kingdom.[2] His family were of aliʻi (royal) descent through the 15th century ruler Līloa of the island of Hawaii and Kahekili II of Maui.[3] His parents were David Kaipeʻelua Kahea and Maria Beckley Kahea. His mother, who was a lady-in-waiting in the Hawaiian royal court, was granddaughter of Captain George Charles Beckley, a British sea captain and military advisor of King Kamehameha I, who married the High Chiefess Ahia. His maternal grandmother Kahinu was the daughter of the High Chief Hoʻolulu, who was entrusted with concealing the bones of Kamehameha I with his brother Hoapili.[4][5][3]


Beckley served as a private on the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) as a Rifleman or Lewis gunner.

At an engagement in Festubert from April 9 to April 15, 1918, his battalion came under fire from the German forces with heavy casualties. Two messengers were sent across the battlefield to request reinforcement from the main regiment but both were unsuccessful.

Beckley volunteered to carry the message. He cross through enemy fire, delivered the message, was wounded in the leg by shrapnel and crawled back to camp as reinforcement arrived. With the reinforcement, the battalion was able to push back the Germans.


He was awarded the Military Medal for his courage in action while carrying messages across heavy fire which saved his battalion from annihilation at Festubert.

A Military Medal is awarded to Rifleman G. Beckley, 9-11-19: Action for gallantry and great courage in action under heavy fire.

Notes

  1. ^ His gravestone records 1888 as his birth year.[1]

References

  1. ^ Grave Marker of George H. Kahea Beckley. Honolulu, HI: Oahu Cemetery.
  2. ^ Honolulu Star-Bulletin 19 Apr 1921
  3. ^ a b The Pacific Commercial Advertiser 13 Jul 1909
  4. ^ Lam 1932, pp. 8–9, 21–22.
  5. ^ McKinzie 1983, pp. 47–48.

Bibliography

Books and journals
  • Lam, Margaret M. (1932). Six Generations of Race Mixture in Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii, Sociology MA Thesis. OCLC 16325277.
  • McKinzie, Edith Kawelohea (1983). Stagner, Ishmael W. (ed.). Hawaiian Genealogies: Extracted from Hawaiian Language Newspapers. Vol. 1. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-939154-28-5. OCLC 12555087.
Newspapers and online sources
  • "High Chiefess Laid to Rest". The Pacific Commercial Advertiser. Honolulu. July 13, 1909. p. 8. Retrieved March 26, 2020.

[1]

  • "Hawaiian Boy Electrocuted At His Work". The Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu. April 16, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • "Hawaiian War Hero Electrocuted; Girl Finds Body At Post (Concluded from Page 1)". The Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu. April 16, 1921. p. 2. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • "George Beckley Killed By Shock". Hilo Daily Tribune. Hilo, Hawaii. April 16, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • "War Hero Electrocuted". The Maui News. Wailuku, Hawaii. April 22, 1921. p. 7. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • "DIED – BECKLEY". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Honolulu. April 19, 1921. p. 7. Retrieved March 27, 2020.


  • "Beckley Will Be Given Military Interment Today (page 1)". The Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu. April 17, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • "Beckley Will Be Given Military Interment (Concluded from Page 1)". The Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu. April 17, 1921. p. 4. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • "Honor Escort Of Troops Ordered For Geo. Beckley". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Honolulu. April 16, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • "Solons Pay Tribute To Beckley's Memory". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Honolulu. April 16, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • Bixby, Arthur E. (April 18, 1921). "Veterans Pay Final Tribute To Beckley". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Honolulu. p. 7. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • "George Beckley Is Buried With Military Honors". The Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu. April 18, 1921. p. 7. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • "Military Funeral For G. K. Beckley Killed By Electric Wire". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. Hilo, Hawaii. April 16, 1921. p. 6. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • "Beckley To Be Buried With Military". Hilo Daily Tribune. Hilo, Hawaii. April 17, 1921. p. 7. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  • Morgan, Margaret K. (April 27, 1921). "A Tribute To George Healii Kahea Beckley by Margaret K. Morgan". The Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu. p. 6. Retrieved March 27, 2020.

Sources



  1. ^ The Pacific Commercial Advertiser 13 Jul 1909
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