George Healii Beckley Kahea (May 5, 1886 – April 15, 1921) was a British Army soldier who fought in World War I. He received the Military Medal for his carrying messages across heavy fire which helped save his battalion from annihilation. Of Native Hawaiian and British descent, he was born and raised on the island of Oʻahu. In 1914, he journeyed to Europe, adopted his great-grandfather's British surname and enlisted in the British Army. From 1914 to 1919, he fought in France and Belgium and was part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. He returned to Hawaii after his military service and began an electrical engineer. He died in 1921 after being electrocuted on his job.

Life

He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on May 5, 1886, ^{[note 1]} during the Hawaiian Kingdom. ^[2] His family were of aliʻi (royal) descent through the 15th century ruler Līloa of the island of Hawaii and Kahekili II of Maui. ^[3] His parents were David Kaipeʻelua Kahea and Maria Beckley Kahea. His mother, who was a lady-in-waiting in the Hawaiian royal court, was granddaughter of Captain George Charles Beckley, a British sea captain and military advisor of King Kamehameha I, who married the High Chiefess Ahia. His maternal grandmother Kahinu was the daughter of the High Chief Hoʻolulu, who was entrusted with concealing the bones of Kamehameha I with his brother Hoapili. ^{[4] [5] [3]}

Beckley served as a private on the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) as a Rifleman or Lewis gunner.

At an engagement in Festubert from April 9 to April 15, 1918, his battalion came under fire from the German forces with heavy casualties. Two messengers were sent across the battlefield to request reinforcement from the main regiment but both were unsuccessful.

Beckley volunteered to carry the message. He cross through enemy fire, delivered the message, was wounded in the leg by shrapnel and crawled back to camp as reinforcement arrived. With the reinforcement, the battalion was able to push back the Germans.

He was awarded the Military Medal for his courage in action while carrying messages across heavy fire which saved his battalion from annihilation at Festubert.

A Military Medal is awarded to Rifleman G. Beckley, 9-11-19: Action for gallantry and great courage in action under heavy fire.

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