The Beveridge brothers, Arthur and James, were born in
March, 1893, identical twins of John Beveridge and Jane Beveridge (née Healy).
John Beveridge died in 1893, aged 48, which left the family of fourteen
children in problematic circumstances. They moved from Rathgar to a smaller
rented home in Rathmines. The twins came to Belvedere, in the 1908-09
school year, aged fifteen, having
previously attended the Marists school on Leeson Street. Both twins were well
liked and popular with all at Belvedere and lived, then, at 33 Belgrave Square.
As well as excelling at swimming, the Beveridges were
involved in the dramatic activities at Belvedere. In February, 1910, the school
produced the comedy, David Garrick,
by Thomas William Robertson. James played Simpkins and Arthur played Davis,
Garrick's valet. The Irish Times
reported that it was ‘presented with all the charm and freshness that juvenile
enthusiasm brings to it’. Amid further praise for the evening’s entertainment,
both Arthur and James were named as contributing to the success of the
performance.
In 1910, Arthur and James matriculated into UCD
Medical School, later obtaining honours degrees. They received their clinical
training in Saint Vincent’s Hospital, where James won a junior class prize in
1913. They both joined the Officer Training Corps at the Royal College of
Surgeons while studying and in February, 1914, they received commissions in the
RAMC Special Reserve. The Belvederian
of 1914 recorded that both Arthur and James passed their ‘Third Year
Examinations of the National University’.
Having completed their medical degree exams in June,
1915, the Beveridges were sent to receive three months’ officer training near
Aldershot, England. While in camp with their regiment, 137th Field
Ambulance, at Farnham, the twins exerted themselves to create a camp chapel and
to have Mass said there.
The
Belvederian of 1916 reported
that ‘[d]uring the Dublin rising they were in the city and rendered useful
services in Portobello Barracks.’
While some biographical writings of the twins do not
mention either of them being in the Dublin theatre of war, the lines below from
the Sinn Fein Rebellion Handbook may
be a clue:
Captain
Arthur Beveridge, R.A.M.C., pays a warm tribute to the courage and devotion to
duty of Mr. S. Dixon, an official of the Rathmines Township, and a member of
our detachment [Ailesbury Park Emergency Hospital], who did splendid work as
orderly on the Rathmines Ambulance, working day and night at the removal of the
wounded from Beggar's Bush Barracks to the Military Hospital at Portobello, and
bringing medical supplies to Beggar's Bush.
Perhaps
Mr. Dixon was a Rathmines family friend of the Beveridges, but it is also
likely that both Arthur and James worked closely with Mr. Dixon, tending the
wounded south of the city of Dublin during Easter week, 1916.
In
June, 1916, James was sent to France, to the front with the Field Ambulance.
His commanding officer said that James was ‘an exceptionally brilliant
officer’. In early 1917, James had been unwell and was recuperating in Rouen.
Back in service soon afterwards, he returned to command his regiment.
James
was killed on Thursday, 22 November, 1917, in action near Cambrai.
The Belvederian
of 1918 reported:
He
met his death while bravely doing his duty in one of the biggest battles of the
war. He worked unceasingly until he was stricken down with many wounds; in that
state he was found by the Catholic chaplain, who administered the last rites of
the Church to him, and he died shortly afterwards. He lived as he died, a
fervent and devout Catholic.
One
of the men under his command said of James that ‘…his men would follow him
anywhere, they loved him that much’.
Captain
James O’Shaughnessy Beveridge’s name is found in The Irish Times ‘Ireland’s Roll of Honour,’ Saturday, 22 December,
1917. It reported that James ‘died of wounds received in the discharge of his
medical duties’.
Arthur,
after a year in France, never too far from his brother, returned home on leave.
He was at the front again when he was delivered the news of James’s death. He
was so aggrieved that he was given three months’ compassionate leave. He
returned to Dublin, isolated himself for six weeks, mourning his twin.
The Belvederian
of 1919 reported that Arthur had been promoted to Major, received the Military
Cross in February, 1918, and was promoted to Deputy Assistant Director of
Medical Services XV Corps.
Major-General
Arthur Beveridge, having fought in World War I also saw action in Iraq in
1919-1920. The Belvederian of 1921
reported on Arthur’s movements:
He was sent to Mesopotamia in May, 1920, and after a
few weeks in Bagdad he was sent as Bacteriologist to the Military Hospital at
Kut-el-Amara. In February last he was sent down the river to Basrah, when he is
now Pathologist to no. 9 Indian General Hospital.
In
February, 1924, Arthur was stationed at Bangalore, in the modern Indian state
of Karnataka, where he was Specialist in
Bacteriology as well as being in charge of the District Laboratory.
The
Belvederian of 1934 reported
that Arthur was then stationed at Salisbury. Arthur was active in Catholic lay
organisations and activities in Salisbury and in the south of England. He was
Chairman of the Committee of a Bazaar organised to pay
off the Parochial debt in Salisbury…[and] an active member of the Knights of
St. Columba, an organisation for Catholic men which seems very much alive and
prosperous.
In November, 1937, Major A. J. Beveridge, MC, MB, RAMC
sent a letter to Belvedere with updates on his activities. He had received the
Order of the British Empire from His Excellency The Governor of Malaya, at
Singapore on 23 June, 1936, and Arthur included a photograph of the event in
his letter, which is reproduced here below.
He was a keen researcher and his work in gas attack
prevention contributed to his award of the OBE—work that he continued in
England as the conflict that was the Second World War developed.
He
also fought in World War II, survived and retired on 21 March, 1958. Arthur
died in 1959.
