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Private Robert Matthew Beatham

Unit: 8th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division
Action: 9 August 1918, Rosieres, east of Villers-Bretonneux, France
Beatham, 24, was part of the push towards Lihons when his battalion was held up by fierce opposition.
Beatham and Lance-Corporal William George Nottingham, DCM, MM, rushed the enemy position.

The citation says: ``(The two men) fought the crews of four enemy machine-guns, killing 10 of them and capturing 10 others. The bravery of the action greatly facilitated the advance of the whole battalion and prevented casualties.

"In fighting the crew of the first gun (Beatham) was shot through the right leg but continued in the advance. When the final objective was reached, although previously wounded, he again dashed forward and bombed a machine-gun, being riddled with bullets and killed in doing so.

"The valour displayed by this gallant soldier inspired all ranks in a wonderful manner.'' A letter from his company commander differs with the citation in saying Beatham was killed by a sniper shot to the head as he returned to the Australian position after capturing the machine-gun post.

Biography: The war took a heavy toll on the Beatham family. Of the seven brothers who served, four died (including Robert) and one spent two years as a prisoner of war.

Beatham was born in Cumberland, England on 16 June 1894 and migrated to Australia as a teenager. He was working as a labourer in Geelong, Victoria when he enlisted in the AIF in January 1915.

He was shipped out from Melbourne in April, but was sent home again from Egypt with a medical condition. He arrived in Gallipoli in December 1915, and was twice wounded in action, in France in August 1916 and Belgium in October 1917.

He also spent 92 days in hospital and at division base at Etaples in early 1917 for illness. He is buried at Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres. His medal was sold in 1999 for a record price for an Australian VC of $178,500.