In Remembrance of
GEOFFREY VIVIAN BEARDSLEY
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Joiner 4th Class
Service Number: P/MX 58969
Date Joined Hood: Unknown
Biographical Information: Geoffrey was born on 22 July 1917 in Bournemouth, Hampshire. He was the husband of Peggy Beardsley, of Westbourne, Sussex. A contemporary newspaper clipping from the Portsmouth News (see below) states that, before joining the Royal Navy, Geoffrey had been in the Sea Scouts and a pupil at Southbourne school where he had shown considerable abililty as an artist.
His artistic ability is confirmed byTom Edwards, who as a child lived at Whitbourne with his cousin Peggy Edwards who was later to become Geoffreys wife. Tom remembers that he had known Geoff for about three years and "would pester him to sketch me wonderful pictures of Red Indians when on leave".
Geoffrey was 23 years old at the time of his loss. We have no additional information.
If you have any additional details, please contact us.
Memorial Information
Portsmouth Naval Memorial,
Panel 56, Column 3 (click to view panel)
Also memorialised at
Hood Chapel, Church of St John the Baptist, Boldre, Hampshire
Additional Photographs
Above- Geoffrey and Peggy on their wedding day.
Below- A letter from Geoff to his friend Tom
Below- "Portsmouth News" clipping on Geoff's death
Sources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
ADM 101/565
Tom Edwards (photo and information, February 2001)
‘Register of Deaths of Naval Ratings’ (data extracted by Director of Naval Personnel (Disclosure Cell), Navy Command HQ, 2009)