November 20th 1917. World War 1 was raging in Europe. Entrenched in bitter warfare at the Battle of Cambria in France, a regiment of Seaforth Highlanders was pinned down by intense machine gun fire. Lance-Corporal Robert McBeath, from the small Sutherland village of Kinlochbervie, Scotland volunteered to attack the guns alone, armed only with a Lewis gun and revolver. Joined by a tank, McBeath attacked five machine gun nests in succession, capturing three officers and thirty enemy soldiers. For this heroic action Robert McBeath was awarded the Victoria Cross. McBeath returned home to a heros welcome. He married Barbara MacKay and soon after, emigrated to Vancouver, Canada, where he joined the Vancouver Police Department. October 9th, 1922 Constable Robert McBeath was fatally shot while engaging in an arrest. McBeaths funeral was one of the largest ever in Vancouver history. All stores and banks were closed and thousands of attended to pay their respect. The procession took twenty minutes to pass, and was led by Vancouver Police Inspector George Hood on horseback. He was followed by the Vancouver Police Pipe Band, the widow Barbara, the mayor and council members, 300 Masons, 80 Vancouver Police, 100 Vancouver Fire Fighters, 12 Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 50 Seaforth Highlanders, a contingent of Irish Fusiliers, Several hundred WW1 veterans, 40 members of BC Electric Railway, 12 of the Canadian Pacific Police, several hundred members of the Foresters, St. Andrews, and Caledonia Societies.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 16:09:40 +0000
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