Bevan, Richard Vincent

Richard Vincent (Dick) Bevan was the younger son of Alderman Richard Bevan, M.R.C.S. and D.P.H. and Mrs Bevan, 31 Girdlers Road, West Kensington, W. He was born at Lydd, Kent in 1893, and so had just passed his 21st year. He was educated first at Colet Court Preparatory School (Bewshers), and from there in 1905 gained a Junior Foundation Scholarship at St.Paul's School, Hammersmith, ultimately obtaining the Senior Foundation Scholarship and remaining at St. Paul's till 1910, when on obtaining the Huxley Entrance Scholarship at Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, he entered that school and began his medical training. When he was at St. Paul's he was in the Gymnasium VIII. (bronze medal), and was reserve man for the school at the Public School Competitions at Aldershot. He was in the school O.T.C. and gained his A certificate; and he will be remembered at St. Paul's as a keen member of the Musical Society, and at one time its leading treble. Joining Charing Cross and King's College Hospitals he passed the 2nd London and 2nd Conjoint Examinations. During these years he gained certificates in Senior Anatomy, Senior Physiology and Biology. In April, 1914, he joined the Final School at Charing Cross and was clinical clerk to Dr. Bosanquet until July. On the outbreak of the war, he went to the War Office and explained that he was a medical student, offered his services in any capacity in which he might be useful. The reply was there was nothing they could offer. To him, to do nothing was intolerable, unthinkable, so he immediately re-enlisted as a private in the London Rifle Brigade (5th City of London), in which he had already served for several years. With his Regiment he went through the preliminary training, acting in the capacity of batman to his Company Officer. On November 4th, they were drafted to France to form the only reserve which it was possible at the time to send to the British Expeditionary Force over there. What the Territorials did and how they saved the perilous situation at that time will only be realised when the history of the war has to be written later on. The London Rifle Brigade, however has had the highest enconiums expressed on its valour and on its efficiency, and alas! has suffered the penalties exacted from the brave for few now remain of its original numbers. Among those who fell a victim soon after the arrival in France was Bevan. On December 12th, 1914, he was shot in "Plugstreet" wood as he came out of the trenches to fetch water, and, though immediately attended to and conveyed to the first aid post, yet it was twenty-eight hours before he arrived at Bailleul Clearing Hospital. He had been shot in the groin; when he arrived he was cold, blue and collapsed. Everything that was possible was done for him there but he succumbed the next morning - December 12th, 1914 - and was buried with full military honours in Bailleul Cemetery. Thus in the modest capacity of a private soldier he laid down his life for his country. The Senior Medical Officer in Charge, Major (now Lieut.-Col.) W.J. Leake, himself an old Cross man, writes of his patience and pluck in his last hours. Of his work at the Hospital and his determination to fit himself thoroughly for the career in life which he had marked out for himself, his success both in the optional and compulsory examination are the best evidences.. His purely medical work did not prevent him from taking a lively interest in the social side of student life, for he was successively Junior and Senior Club Secretary during 1911 and 1912, and Dance Secretary in 1912. As a "Sportsman" in the best sense of the word he took an interest in all that pertained to his Hospital, whether it was the Annual Sports, or a Rugby tussle, either on behalf of his Medical School, or in the A team of Old Paulines. An old fellow student says of him "None could resist his never failing good humour and his bright, open disposition. His sympathy and sound common sense brought a smoothness and success to the social life of the School which few men could have equalled and none exceeded." He carried out to the end of his happy little life the motto of his family Semper virtuti Constans. R.I.P. King's College Review, Dec 1915

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