Charles Taschereau Beard
Encyclopedia
Charles Taschereau Beard (1890 – November 21, 1948) was a naval officer and politician in British Columbia
. He represented Esquimalt
in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
from 1945 to 1948 as a Liberal
.
He was born in Ottawa
, the son of Frank Beard, and, at the age of 17, served two years aboard the British Merchant Training ship Conway. He then served aboard several Canadian fisheries patrol vessels. In 1909, Beard joined the Royal Naval Reserve
and, in 1910, the Royal Canadian Navy
. He served as senior naval officer at Esquimalt
and as Commanding Officer and as Commander of the Dockyard at Naden. In October 1915, he married Kathleen Kent. He served as commander of Maritime Forces Pacific
in 1922. At the start of World War II
, Beard came out of retirement to command HMCS Prince Robert, which captured the German merchant freighter Weser off the coast of Mexico. He later retired due to poor health. His son Mishipman Thomas Norman Kemp Beard was killed on the HMS Hood
during its encounter with the Bismarck
in May 1941. Beard was a member of the Liberal-Conservative coalition in the provincial assembly. He died in office at Esquimalt and was buried with full military honours.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. He represented Esquimalt
Esquimalt (electoral district)
Esquimalt was a provincial electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It was one of the province's first twelve ridings upon its entry into Confederation. It was originally a two-member riding...
in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
from 1945 to 1948 as a Liberal
British Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
.
He was born in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, the son of Frank Beard, and, at the age of 17, served two years aboard the British Merchant Training ship Conway. He then served aboard several Canadian fisheries patrol vessels. In 1909, Beard joined the Royal Naval Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
and, in 1910, the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
. He served as senior naval officer at Esquimalt
CFB Esquimalt
Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters....
and as Commanding Officer and as Commander of the Dockyard at Naden. In October 1915, he married Kathleen Kent. He served as commander of Maritime Forces Pacific
Maritime Forces Pacific
In the Canadian Forces, Maritime Forces Pacific is responsible for the fleet and operations of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Pacific Ocean...
in 1922. At the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Beard came out of retirement to command HMCS Prince Robert, which captured the German merchant freighter Weser off the coast of Mexico. He later retired due to poor health. His son Mishipman Thomas Norman Kemp Beard was killed on the HMS Hood
HMS Hood (51)
HMS Hood was the last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. One of four s ordered in mid-1916, her design—although drastically revised after the Battle of Jutland and improved while she was under construction—still had serious limitations. For this reason she was the only ship of her class to be...
during its encounter with the Bismarck
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
in May 1941. Beard was a member of the Liberal-Conservative coalition in the provincial assembly. He died in office at Esquimalt and was buried with full military honours.