1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders of Canada (CASF) 1940 – 1945
Former Argo QB for 5 seasons (26-30). Retired when League formally approved forward pass.
Joined 48th Highlanders at age 31 (Apr 08). Older than all other junior officers and most officers in the Battalion.
Arrived in UK as a 48th Officer in late 1940.
Stayed in UK as part of OP Pouch (ie Left Out of Battle to be a replacement officer when casualties created vacancies) with 48th Coy 4 CIRU and sent forward after Sicily joining the Battalion at Torella as 14 Pl Comd and then took over HQ Coy (A- Ech). Apr – Torella – 2IC “A” Coy
Dec 43 – approaching Ortona – “I’ll send all the rum up … eh … sir?” He firmly believed in the policy that in the army you never send back anything useful—certainly not rum!
“Why, sure, send it all up,” said Capt. Beal in innocent surprise; he was also an adherent of the army way. He added: “It’s raining, isn’t it? It’s nearly Christmas, isn’t it? What else will they get in their stockings?”
Resupplied battalion on consecutive nights (25 and 26 December 43) leading 180 Saskatoon Light Infantry through German lines to resupply the battalion, 1.5 km behind German lines, with ammo and batteries. Returning after 25 December resupply he said that the Commanding Officer requested: “ask the Brig for a tank for Xmas”
Jun 44 – Confirmed as Officer Commanding Able Company as the Bn prepared to cross the METAURO and on to the GOTHIC LINE
Point 162
Disaster strikes “A” Coy (Rimini)
Assigned to Benevento, near Naples, to teach lessons from Ortona to Officers. Returned to battalion in early November for Rimini Line battles.
Kestrel “Day 2”
Longest time in command of a company of any 48th Officer (including over a year as OC A Coy). Appointed 2 1/c of the battalion after the liberation of Apeldoorn and end of the war.
7/8 Dec 45 Weekend – “In the shadow of the Soldiers’ Tower, the University’s war memorial, Colonel Counsel assigned Major George Beal M.C. to return the Colours in a ceremonial of pure pageantry.”
After the war he was OC Cadets for Ontario and Commander of Cadet Camp at Ipperwash for 2 years.
Received Military Cross for leadership actions in Operation Cannonshot, the liberation of Apeldoorn, Holland in April 1945. Mentioned in Dispatches for forceful and positive leadership in getting Able Company, then the entire battalion, across the Lamone River in northern Italy on 10 December 1944.
