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He entered the Royal Military Academy Woolwich, early in 1828, and was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 29 May 1832. He served in Malta from 1835 to 1839. In the latter year, while still a young Subaltern, he received from the Admiralty the responsible appointment of Director of Engineering and Architectural Works in the Dockyard and other naval establishments at Portsmouth, which he held for six years being then transferred to a similar appointment at Woolwich till its abolition in 1848. He then served in Canada till 1854; and for having rescued at great personal risk, during the destruction by fire of the Parliament House at Quebec, in February of that year, valuable public records, the rescue of which had been unsuccessfully attempted by other gentlemen he received the thanks of the Canadian Legislature. Later in the same year he was appointed Superintending-Engineer of the Ordnance Manufacturing Departments at Woolwich. On 9 November 1855 his promotion from Captain to Lieutenant Colonel was gazetted. He served in New Zealand from 1866 to 1869, during the latter half of that period commanding her Majesty's Forces in the Colony, on return from which he retired on full pay and was promoted to the honourary rank of Major-General.

The manoevers of the aeroplanes stationed the Heath Aerodrome have for a considerable period since the country went to war proved to the public of Hounslow and district a source of much pleasure. Although their presence in the air has become much of a common-place spectacle, the interest taken by young and old in the wonderful machines continues to be as deep as ever it was. Many people who happened to be in the vicinity of the Heath shortly after six o'clock on Tuesday evening were horrified at the sight of one of the aeroplanes tumbling down into a field adjoining the Cemetery in Hanworth road, and on reaching the ground bursting into flames, which soon claimed as their victims two gallant officers of the Royal Flying Corps. Captain Charles D'Arcy Wentworth Reeve, aged 21 years, and Sec. Lieut. Walter William Gordon Beatson, aged 18.
The circumstances surrounding the fatality were related before Mr Reginald Kemp. J.P. (the Coroner for West Middlesex), and a.     jury of which Mr. Smith was foreman, at the Churchroom, Montague-road, on Thursday morning.
Being unable to attend on account of military duties, Capt. Reeve, a brother of the deceased captain, wrote stating that he had identified his brother, and Sec.. Lt. Beatson was identified by Major H Bradley, R.F.C.
Continuing, the Major said the Lieutenant only came to Hounslow the day before the accident, but he had flown before. Captain Reeve was an expert flier, and one of the best in the Corps. He did not witness the occurrence, as he had left the Aerodrome just before, but it was reported to him next morning, and he had held a court of inquiry. What happened was that Capt. Reeve, who was the pilot and instructing Lt. Beatson, banked too steeply and the machine side-slipped.
The Coroner: I suppose it was what we should call an error of judgment? These things do happen, from time to time with the most expert - Witness: It was over-confidence in this case.
In answer to questions, Major Bradley said the machine was only 200 feet from the ground, and Captain Reeve had therefore no time to recover. It crashed to the ground and the officers must have been killed instantaneously by the shock, being burnt afterwards, through the petrol tank bursting and the fluid igniting. Lt. Beatson had his back broken. The machine was perfectly all right before the accident.
The Coroner: In your judgment was it absolutely unavoidable? You know these things are bound to happen from time to time. - Witness: It ought not to have happened. It was over-confidence.
Air-Mechanic Christopher Napper also stated that Capt. Reeve was an expert flier, but that he did not know Lt. Beatson, who went up as a passenger.
The Coroner: Any inexperienced person can do that. I suppose? - Witness: Yes.
He had nothing to do with the controls or anything in that way? - No.
Witness, continuing, said he had had eleven months experience. He tested the machine before the officers flew it and it was in perfect condition. He stood and watched it ascend and after it had been up about five minutes, saw it side-slip, crash to the ground, and burst into flames. It was too low for the pilot to have tried to right it. There was just a slight wind, but nothing to account for the accident. The officers were strapped in. He should think they were dead before the machine caught fire. An ambulance was sent across to them instantly, and they were taken to hospital.
Cpl. Wm. Maple, an engine fitter, of the Royal Flying Corps. deposed to the machine being right in every way when the officers ascended in it, at 6.15 on Tuesday evening. It rose from the Heath in good form, but after two or three turns pitched to the ground and burst into flames.
Dr. Wolf stated that Capt. Reeve was brought into the Military Hospital at 6.30 and was quite dead. It was impossible to say absolutely what the cause of death was, but he should think it was from shock caused by serious burns. If the fire had not broken out the captain might not have died. Lt. Beatson was brought in an hour later, as he believed some difficulty was experienced in getting his body out of the wreckage.
With reference to this Major Bradley, replying to the Coroner, said Capt. Reeve was underneath one of the wings, but Lt. Beatson was below part of the engine.
Dr Wolf, proceeding, stated that in this case also the cause of death was shock from burns. It was impossible to say whether the young fellow’s back was broken, as he was stiff when brought into the hospital. This position did not suggest that his back had been broken.
The Coroner, in summing up, stated that he did not think anybody was to blame, and it seemed a case of the pilot, being over-zealous. One knew how extraordinarily plucky the flying officers were, and it might be that sometimes they got a little bit careless.
The jury decided that the officers died of shock from burns caused accidentally by the aeroplane side-slipping to the ground and catching fire.
P.C. Demer was Coroner's Officer, and Station-Sergeant Taylor represented the Commissioners. The Middlesex Chronicle, 22 July 1916.²

Col. William John Arnold Beatson, who died on Dec. 31 of malaria and heart complications at Marseilles, was the youngest son of the late Surg. Gen. George Stewart Beatson, C.B., and was born on Aug. 9, 1857. He had two brothers in the Army, and another is Sir George Thomas Beatson, K.C.B. Col. Beatson joined the Royal Artillery as a lieutenant in June 1877, and took part in the Afghan campaign of 1880, receiving the medal. He was promoted to captain in 1886, to major in 1895, and to colonel in 1906. In December of the following year he was appointed to the staff at headquarters in India as assistant adjutant-general for Royal Artillery.⁴