Major Jeff Beadle, Marine who led a daring assault on a hill on Brac island in the Adriatic – obituary
His bravery and leadership won him an MC, but he was badly wounded in a German counterattack and after being left for dead was captured
Jeff Beadle
Major Jeff Beadle, RM, who has died aged 98, led an audacious assault on a hill on an island in the Adriatic; after being badly wounded during a German counterattack, he was left for dead and ended up being taken prisoner.
On the night of June 3 1944, Beadle commanded Y troop of 40 Commando, Royal Marines which attacked a heavily defended hill on the island of Brac. He led his marines forward under the cover of darkness, until they rose from the ground and advanced uphill with bayonets fixed, firing from the hip at German entrenchments to the accompaniment of bagpipes played by Lieutenant-Colonel “Mad Jack” Churchill.