=BELL, DAVID=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 10813), S.S. 108915,
H.M.S. Hawke; lost in action in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._
=BELL, FRED=, Eng.-Lieut., R.N.R., yr. _s._ of Samuel Bell,
of Abbots Cottage, St. Bees, Cumberland, by his wife, Alice, dau. of
Joseph Coulthard; _b._ St. Bees, 4 Dec. 1889; educ. there. He
commenced his career with the Whitehaven Harbour Board under Engineer
Wilcox. He was two and a-half years in this employ, and a similar
period at Lowca Engineering Works. From there he entered the service
of Messrs. Chambers, the Castle Line, Liverpool. After being two
years and three months at sea he sat for, and secured, his second
engineer’s certificate, and after another couple of years’ service
he obtained his Chief Engineer’s certificate. Continuing in the same
employ, he was in Liverpool studying for his extra chief certificate
on the outbreak of war, but gave up his opportunity to sit for this
to take up his commission as Eng.-Lieut. on the armed merchant vessel
Viknor, commissioned at Portsmouth 12 Dec. 1914. They sailed just after
Christmas, and no further word was heard until Feb. when the Admiralty
announced that H.M.S. Viknor, which had been missing for some days,
must now be accepted as lost with all officers and men. The cause of
her loss is uncertain, but as bodies and wreckage were washed ashore on
the north coast of Ireland, it is presumed that during the bad weather
she either foundered, or, being carried out of her course, struck
a mine in the seas which the Germans are known to have laid there.
It is presumed that she was lost off the Irish coast 14 Jan. 1915.
Lieut.-Commander Bell was _unm._ His elder brother, Edward, also
received a commission, and was appointed to the armed liner The Duke of
Cornwall.
[Illustration: =Fred Bell.=]
=BELL, GEORGE SINCLAIR=, Stoker, 1st Class, 308909, H.M.S.
Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off
the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.
=BELL, JOHN WILLIAM=, R.M.L.I., Ch. 17205, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in
action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BELL, JOSHUA=, Private, No. 8643, B Coy., 2nd Battn. The Border
Regt., _s._ of William Joshua Bell, of 170, Conyers Road, Byker,
Newcastle-on-Tyne, now employed at Messrs. Armstrong & Whitworth’s
Elswick Works; _b._ Shieldfield, 9 Jan. 1887; educ. Victoria
Jubilee Council School, Byker, Newcastle-on-Tyne; enlisted 27 Nov.
1905, and was killed in action at Ypres, 26 Oct. 1914; _unm._ He
had previously been employed by the Newcastle Tramway Co.
=BELL, LAURISTON PERCIVAL EDWARD=, Private, No. 1527, 16th
Battn. (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) London Regt., only _s._ of
the late William Harbutt Bell, Assistant Clerk, C.S., by his wife,
Milly (15, Thornfield Road, Shepherd’s Bush), dau. of John Broad, of
Stratton, Cornwall; _b._ Notting Hill, 18 June, 1894; educ. London
Orphanage, Watford. Joined the Queen’s Westminster’s 16 March, 1913,
volunteered for foreign service with his regt. on the outbreak of war,
and was killed in action at Houplines, 27 March, 1915; _unm._
Buried in the military cemetery in the Rue Emile Zola at Houplines.
In a letter of sympathy to his mother, Capt G. H. Lambert, commanding
IV. Coy., said: “Your son, Rifleman Bell, was killed in the trenches
yesterday morning. It may be a small consolation to you, in your great
trouble, to know that he died as he had lived, a true soldier, and in
him I have lost one of my good men.”
[Illustration: =Lauriston Percival Edward Bell.=]
=BELLAIRS, EDWARD DUNSTAN=, Private, No. 9255, 2nd Battn. Durham
L.I., _s._ of Everard Dunstan Bellairs, of 4, Paley Street,
Sunderland, by his wife, Ellen, dau. of Henry Moon Clark, and grandson
of Commander John Henry Bellairs, R.N.; _b._ Bishopswearmouth,
Sunderland, 29 Sept. 1884; educ. Sunderland; enlisted with his brother
in 1903, and served eight years in India. On the outbreak of war
rejoined, was wounded on 20 Sept. 1914, at the Battle of the Aisne,
and _d._ in the Victoria Hospital at Blackpool, 20 July, 1915;
_unm._ His elder brother, William (see succeeding notice) was
killed in the same action, and a 3rd brother, Private H. Bellairs, 7th
Durham L.I., was wounded in France 26 May, 1915, and is now (1916) a
prisoner in Germany.
[Illustration: =Edward Dunstan Bellairs.=]
=BELLAIRS, WILLIAM=, Private, No. 9160, 2nd Battn. Durham L.I.,
eldest _s._ of Everard Dunstan Bellairs, of 4, Paley Street,
Sunderland, &c. (see preceding notice); _b._ Bishopswearmouth,
Sunderland, 16 Feb. 1881; enlisted with his brother in 1903, and served
eight years in India. On the outbreak of war rejoined, and was killed
at the Battle of the Aisne, 20 Sept, 1914; _unm._
[Illustration: =William Bellairs.=]
=BELLAMY, VICTOR SAMUEL=, L.-Corpl., No. 9977, 1st Battn. East
Kent Regt. (The Buffs), _s._ of Henry Bellamy, of 33, Park Road,
Ashford, Kent; served with Expeditionary Force in France, etc.;
_d._ 8 Nov. 1914, of wounds received in action near Lille.
=BELLAS, WILLIAM=, Pte., No. 10551, 2nd Battn. Scots Guards;
_b._ Penrith, co. Cumberland, 1874; enlisted 7 Sept. 1914; served
with Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action, 16 May,
1915. He _m._ at Liverpool, 7 Oct. 1899, Margaret (14, Bowles
Road, Bootle, Liverpool), dau. of (--) Walters, and had two sons,
Francis William, _b._ 12 July, 1900; and Lancelot John, _b._
1 May, 1910.
=BELLERBY, TOM=, Petty Officer, 187039, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in
action in the North Sea, 22 Sept 1914.
=BELLINGER, WILLIAM FREDERICK=, Petty Officer, 184317, H.M.S. Good
Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov.
1914.
=BELLINGHAM, ROGER CHARLES NOEL=, Capt., 37th Battery, Royal Field
Artillery, 2nd _s._ of Sir Henry Bellingham, of Castle Bellingham,
4th Bt., H.M. Lieutenant, co. Louth, by his wife, Lady Constance Noel,
2nd dau. of Charles George, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough; _b._ Wilbury
Road, Brighton, 28 April, 1884; educ. Oratory School, Edgbaston, and
Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; gazetted 2nd Lieut. -- Dec. 1903, and
promoted Lieut. 23 Dec. 1906. He retired 26 Oct. 1912, and was placed
in the R.F.A. Special Reserve. On 8 Nov. the same year he was appointed
A.D.C. to the Lord Lieut. of Ireland (the Marquis of Aberdeen),
which position he held until outbreak of war, when he rejoined his
regt. on Aug. 5. He went to France with the Expeditionary Force, was
specially mentioned in Dispatches [London Gazette, 22 June, 1915], by
F.M. Sir John French, for gallant and distinguished service in the
field and was found dead in his bed near Ypres, 4 March, 1915, after
a week’s hard fighting. He was buried in Dickebush Parish churchyard,
three miles from Ypres. When at Woolwich in 1909, Capt. Bellingham
wrote the best essay and was specially complimented by the General
Commanding in Chief (Brig.-Gen. J. D. Snow), who wrote (21 Feb.): “A
well written essay which shows a careful study of the campaign. What is
particularly good about the paper, is, that the writer, having selected
his _principle_, on which to write, has stuck to it throughout,
and quoted every instance which bears his argument. In writing on
_Colombey_ that action was not an ordinary rearguard action. The
French had to fight, to gain more considerable time, than is usual in
rearguard actions. Lieut. Bellingham is to be congratulated on his
paper, and he should develop into a good writer.” He _m._ at
Stabannon, co. Louth, 18 Jan. 1910, Alice Ann, dau. of Richard Naish,
of Ballycullen, co. Limerick, and had issue two children: Roger Carroll
Patrick Stephen, _b._ 23 April, 1911, and Constance Catherine Mary
Pia, _b._ 21 Oct. 1912.
[Illustration: =Roger C. N. Bellingham.=]
=BELLINGHAM, THOMAS HENRY=, Stoker 1st Class, K. 6334, H.M.S.
Hawke; lost in action in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.
=BELSTEN, WALTER SIDNEY=, Private, No. 1756, 13th (Princess
Louise’s Kensington) Battn. The London Regt., _s._ of William
Henry Belsten, of 8, Colville Road, South Acton, by his wife, Sarah
Elizabeth, dau. of Henry Jones, of Bristol; _b._ London, 7 Jan.
1892; educ. Priory School, and Central School, Acton; enlisted the
day after the declaration of war, 6 Aug. 1914, went to the Front 4
Nov., came through the Battle of Neuve Chapelle unhurt, and was killed
in action at Aubers Ridge at the same time as his only brother (see
following notice), 9 May, 1915; _unm._
[Illustration: =Walter Sidney Belsten.=]
=BELSTEN, WILLIAM HENRY=, Sergt., No. 2360, 13th (Princess
Louise’s) Battn. The London Regt., elder _s._ of William Henry
Belsten (see preceding notice); _b._ London, 27 Oct 1890; educ.
Priory School, Acton, Queen’s Park College, and Islington College;
was an Assistant Master at St. Paul’s School, Brentford, but on the
outbreak of war enlisted 30 Aug. 1914, went to France 9 Feb. 1915,
came through the Battle of Neuve Chapelle unhurt, and was promoted
sergt., and was killed in action at Aubers Ridge, near Neuve Chapelle,
at the same time as his only brother, 9 May, 1915; _unm._ He was
Superintendent of the Sunday school, Acton, and a credence table was
placed to his memory at St. Cuthbert’s Mission Church, Acton.
[Illustration: =William Henry Belsten.=]
=BENDING, GEORGE JESSE=, Third Writer, M. 5284, H.M.S. Cressy;
lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENDYSHE, RICHARD NELSON=, Major and Brevet Lieut.-Col., Royal
Marine Light Infantry, eldest _s._ of the late Nelson Bendyshe,
by his wife; Charlotte, yst. dau. of Capt. Henry Brodrick, 29th Regt.,
and grandson of John Bendyshe, of Barrington Hall, co. Cambridge, J.P.,
Lieut. R.N., by his wife, Catherine, eldest dau. of George Matcham,
of Ashfield Lodge, co. Sussex, and Catherine, his wife, sister of the
great Lord Nelson; _b._ Woodstock, Ontario, 18 Jan. 1866; educ.
King’s School, Canterbury; joined the Marines, became Lieut. 1 Sept.
1885, Capt. 1 April, 1895, Major 1 Feb. 1903, Brevet Lieut.-Col. 1 Feb.
1910; was Assistant Instructor of Musketry, Chatham Division Royal
Marines, in 1895; Adjutant to Plymouth Division, 1896–1901; Staff
Officer, Chatham Division, 1902–06; and retired 1 July, 1910. At the
outbreak of the war Major Bendyshe took charge of the wireless station
at .... but applied to join the Marines Brigade; was appointed to the
Deal battn., and went to Antwerp at the time of the siege. He was
killed in action, 1 May, 1915, in the Dardanelles at Gebe Tebe whilst
in command of the Deal battn. He _m._ at Berkesbourne, Canterbury,
15 Aug. 1893, Eleanor Margaret (Barrington Hall, Cambridge), dau.
of the Rev. Henry John Wardell, Vicar of Berkesbourne, and had two
children: John Nelson, Lieut. Worcestershire Regt., _b._ 29 July,
1894; and Margaret Charlotte, _b._ 1 Nov. 1900. In Sept. 1914,
Major Bendyshe succeeded his uncle in the Barrington Hall estate, which
has been the seat of the family since the reign of Edward III, and was
succeeded in possession of it by his only son.
[Illustration: =Richard Nelson Bendyshe.=]
=BENHAM, JOHN PERCY=, Sergt., No. 48, No. 1 Coy., Princess
Patricia’s L.I.; eldest _s._ of the late John Benham, Iron
Founder, by his wife, Helen Louisa (99, Warwick Gardens, Earl’s Court,
S.W.), dau. of John Jay; _b._ Earl’s Court, 6 Dec. 1872; educ. in
Salisbury; served as a volunteer in the South African war, and on 5
Aug. 1914, while out in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, enlisted in Princess
Patricia’s L.I. He was wounded in March, 1915, being shot in the arm,
and lay in hospital in Boulogne for six weeks; then returned to his
company, and was killed on the north-west side of the Bellewarde Lake,
about 500 yards north-west of Hooge, 8 May, 1915; _unm._ Sergt.
Benham had a good knowledge of French, and a comrade wrote: “Your
son was held in great respect and his quiet cheerfulness was much
appreciated by those who came in contact with him. He was very popular
not only in No. 1 Coy. but in the whole battn.”
[Illustration: =John Percy Benham.=]
=BENHAM, JOHN RUSSELL=, 2nd Lieut., 100th Battery, Royal Field
Artillery, only _s._ of the late Edwin Arthur Russell Benham, of
Colombo, Ceylon, Tea Planter and Tea Merchant, by his wife, Grizzet
Hamilton (of Glenlinden, Colinton, Midlothian), elder dau. of the late
John Leveson Douglas, of Glenogil, Forfarshire; _b._ Colombo, 19
Sept. 1895; educ. Mr. Perkin’s, Matfield Grange, Paddock Wood, Rugby
and Woolwich. He was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 17 Nov. 1914, and went to
France with the 28th Divisional Ammunition Column on 16 Jan. 1915,
and was immediately posted to the 100th Battery. Later he served for
a short time with G Battery, R.H.A., and then returned to his own. He
died of wounds received in action near Ypres, 4 May, 1915; _unm._
His commanding officer wrote: “... that, through the most trying times
he proved himself a soldier for all his youth.”
[Illustration: =John Russell Benham.=]
=BENNETT, ALBERT EDWARD=, Ship’s Corpl., 1st Class, 178486, H.M.S.
Hawke; lost in action in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.
=BENNETT, ERNEST HENRY=, Petty Officer, 193860, H.M.S. Hogue; lost
in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENNETT, FRANK HENRY=, Corpl., R.M.L.I., Ch. 12196, H.M.S. Hawke;
lost in action in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._
=BENNETT, FREDERICK BENJAMIN=, Private, No. 1115, 1/5th Battn.
(London Rifle Brigade) The London Regt. (T.F.), only _s._ of
Benjamin Bennett, of 17, Airlie Gardens, Ilford, Clerk, by his wife,
Alice Eliza, dau. of William Hudson, of Dalston, N.E.; _b._
Leyton, co. Essex, 16 June, 1896; educ. Cleveland Road Council School,
Ilford, and St. George’s College, London; entered H.M. Customs as a boy
clerk after competitive examination, remaining until he reached the
age limit of eighteen, and was preparing for the Second Division Civil
Service when war broke out. He had served a year and eight months in
the Civil Service Cadets, and after passing his examination joined the
London Rifle Brigade in Oct. and was picked for the drafts for the 1st
Battn. at the end of Jan. He had been at the Front scarcely three weeks
when, about 1 a.m. on 12 March, 1915, he was mortally wounded while on
sentry duty in the trenches at Ploegsteert Woods. The Sergt. of his
platoon wrote: “Your son was in my platoon and was on sentry duty in
the trench on the night of the 11th-12th. At about 1 a.m. a star light
was sent up by the enemy over his trench, followed immediately by a
volley. Unfortunately one of the shots struck your son on the left side
of the head level with the left eye. He was picked up at once and sent
to the field ambulance without any delay. The wound was a very severe
one, and he died the following morning about 11 a.m.... He was a fine
manly chap and did his duty with the best.” He was a server at St.
Clement’s Parish Church, Ilford, and was for some time secretary of the
Young Men’s Guild.
[Illustration: =Frederick B. Bennett.=]
=BENNETT, GEORGE=, Private, R.M.L.I. (R.F.R., B. 838), H.M.S.
Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENNETT, HUGH DONALD=, Lieut., Royal Naval Reserve, H.M.S.
Cressy, 4th _s._ of the late George Bennett, of Little Rissington,
Gloucestershire, by his wife, Eliza Laura (now wife of Col. F.
Stringer, of the Old Mansion, Bredon, Tewkesbury), dau. of Nathan Dyer;
_b._ Bredon, 21 May, 1877; educ. Dean Close School, Cheltenham,
and H.M.S. Conway, training ship, Birkenhead. Joined the P. & O. Steam
Navigation Company and Royal Naval Reserve, 23 July, 1897; served as
5th officer, s.s. Carthage (23 July, 1897), and Oriental (10 Aug.
1897); 4th officer, s.s. Ceylon (28 Oct. 1897); 5th officer, s.s.
Oriental (8 Nov. 1897); and Himalaya (10 Nov 1897); 4th officer, s.s.
Sumatra (8 March, 1898), and Australia (30 Sept. 1898); 3rd officer,
s.s. Australia (30 Jan. 1899), Oriental (19 Feb. 1900), Britannia
(15 Jan. 1901); 2nd officer, s.s. Britannia (19 Sept. 1901–13 June,
1902), Plassy (2 Sept. 1904–13 April, 1905), Dock staff (23 Feb.
1907), Sumatra (4 July, 1907), Marmora (28 Sept. 1908–10 Oct. 1910);
Chief Officer, s.s. Palma (21 June, 1911–3 Aug. 1914), being twice (21
May–10 June, 1913 and 14 July–3 Aug. 1914) Acting Commander. Called
up on mobilization, 3 Aug. 1914, and appointed to H.M.S. Cressy. He
was lost in the North Sea when that ship was torpedoed, 22 Sept. 1914;
_unm._
[Illustration: =Hugh Donald Bennett.=]
=BENNETT, JAMES=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 7936), 292894,
H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=LEIGH-BENNETT, ARTHUR=, D.S.O., M.C., Capt., 2nd Battn.
Coldstream Guards, yr. surviving _s._ of the late Henry Currie
Leigh-Bennett, of Thorpe Place, co. Surrey, M.P. for the Chertsey
Division; _b._ Thorpe Place, 25 Nov. 1885; educ. at Winchester
and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. Coldstream Guards, 28 Jan. 1905,
and promoted Lieut. 22 Jan. 1907, and Tempy. Capt. 15 Nov. 1914,
being continued in the latter rank, 1 Jan. 1915; served with the
Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from Aug. 1914, to 3 Oct.
1915; was wounded in Nov., and again in May; was twice mentioned in
Despatches by F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French (18 Feb. and 11 March,
1915); received the Military Cross for services at the Battle of the
Aisne; was awarded the D.S.O. “for conspicuous gallantry, at Cuinchy,
on 1 Feb. 1915. Leading his men with great ability against the enemy,
he stopped their advance, and eventually captured their position,” and
was killed on the morning of 3 Oct. 1915, when inspecting with his
Colonel and other officers some trenches which the Coldstream Guards
were taking over that night. Capt. Leigh-Bennett was a member of the
Coldstream Guards polo team, and played both cricket and golf for the
2nd Battn. He was _unm._
[Illustration: =Arthur Leigh-Bennett.=]
=BENNETT, THOMAS HENRY=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 12083, H.M.S.
Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENNETT, VICTOR ERNEST EDWARD=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch. 18396,
H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENNETT, WILLIAM HENRY HESP=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 1192), 194125,
H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of
Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=BENNION, REGINALD WALLEY=, Third Writer, M. 7687, H.M.S. Cressy;
lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENSON, HUGH CECIL=, Lieut., 9th Battn. The Rifle Brigade,
elder _s._ of Cecil Benson, of 35, Bedford Square, W.C., by his
wife, Constance, dau. of George Bernard O’Neill; _b._ at 16,
Young Street, Kensington Square, W., 3 July, 1883; was educ. at Eton,
and afterwards became an Architect. On the declaration of war he
volunteered for Imperial Service, and was given a commission in the
Rifle Brigade, 30 Dec. 1914. He went to the Western Front with his
regt., 20 May, 1915, and was killed in action at Hooge, near Ypres, 22
June following; _unm._
=BENSON, JOHN PENRICE=, Capt., 1st Battn. East Surrey Regt.,
eldest _s._ of William Denman Benson, of 10, William Street,
Knightsbridge, County Court Judge, LL.D., J.P., by his wife, Jane,
dau. of Thomas Penrice, D.L., and nephew of Lieut.-Col. R. E. Benson,
who died of wounds, 27 Sept. 1914 (see following notice); _b._
Kilvrough, co. Glamorgan, 1 Oct. 1877; educ. Charterhouse and the
Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 16 Feb. 1898,
and promoted Lieut. 24 Feb. 1900, and Capt. 8 Oct. 1904; served in the
South African War, 1899–1902; took part in the relief of Ladysmith,
including action at Colenso; operations of 17 to 24 Jan. 1900, and
action at Spion Kop; operations of 5 to 7 Feb. 1900, and action at
Vaal Kranz, and operations on Tugela Heights (wounded 23 Feb. 1900);
operations in Natal, March to June, 1900, including action at Laings
Nek; operations in the Transvaal, 30 Nov. to 31 May, 1902, including
those in the Orange River Colony in May, 1901 (Queen’s medal with five
clasps and King’s medal with two clasps); afterwards going to India
with his regt. He was Adjutant of his Battn., 10 Sept. 1902, to 31
May, 1905. and of Militia and Special Reserve Battn., 15 April, 1907,
to Feb. 1913, when he went on half-pay. On the declaration of war, 4
Aug. 1914, he immediately rejoined, was given his company, and went to
France on 12 Aug. He proceeded with his regt. to La Cateau, and then
to the defence of the Condé Canal, where he was shot through the lower
part of the body by a machine gun on the 25th, and died in the Convent
School at Boussu, Belgium, the following day, 26 Aug. 1914. He was
buried in the Convent School grounds. He _m._ at St. Stephen’s,
Gloucester Road, S.W., Laura Annette, 2nd dau. of Major-Gen. Francis
Goring Rideout, and had issue a son and dau.: William Frank Montague,
_b._ 7 Oct. 1907, and Jane Penrice, _b._ 2 Jan. 1915.
[Illustration: =John Penrice Benson.=]
=BENSON, RICHARD ERLE=, Lieut-Col., 1st Battn. East Yorkshire
Regt., 4th _s._ of the late General Henry Roxby Benson, C.B., 17th
Lancers (who served through the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny), by his
wife, Mary Henrietta (Fairy Hill, Reynoldston Gower, co. Glamorgan),
dau. of the late Hon. Mr. Justice William Wightman; _b._ London,
4 Oct. 1862; educ. Eton, and for some time served with the East Surrey
Militia. He was gazetted Lieut. to the East Yorkshires (the old 15th),
14 May, 1884, and was promoted Capt. 5 Aug. 1891; Major, 15 Aug.
1903; and Lieut.-Col. 15 Aug. 1911. From July, 1889–May, 1890, he was
employed with the Bechuanaland Police Force, and in the South African
War served as Adjutant to the 4th Battn. of the East Surreys in 1902.
He took part in the operations in Cape Colony, April and May that year,
and received the King’s medal. On the outbreak of the European war Col.
Benson went to the Front with his regt. as part of the Expeditionary
Force. The East Yorkshires reached the Aisne on 19 Sept. and the same
afternoon were ordered to relieve the Sussex Regt. in trenches which
were being continually shelled. The following day the .... Brigade was
ordered to advance against the German positions. The attack was made
against a terrific cross-fire of machine guns and shrapnel, as well
as a storm of rifle bullet attacks. Col. Benson led the attack with
the utmost gallantry, and had, as one of his men afterwards stated,
got within 50 yards of the German trenches, when he was shot down. The
fighting continued fiercely for nearly an hour, but in spite of the
most determined attempts to come to grips with the enemy, the latter
could not be dislodged, and the battn. had eventually to retire to its
trenches. Col. Benson died of his wounds in St. Nazaire Base Hospital
27 Sept. 1914. His body was brought home and buried in the family vault
at Reynoldston, Gower. He _m._ in London, 1905, Janet Florence,
dau. of William Armour, and had three children: John, _b._ 1904;
Marguerita and Mary. Two of his brothers saw service--Col. S. M.
Benson, late 17th Lancers, and Major H. W. Benson, D.S.O., now (1916)
commanding officer of the Swansea Battn. of the Welsh Regt.; and a
nephew, Capt. John Penrice Benson (son of His Honour Judge Denman
Benson), was killed in action, 26 Aug. 1914 (see his notice).
[Illustration: =Richard Erle Benson.=]
=BENSON, THOMAS BROOKE=, Lieut., 2nd Battn. The Royal Scots
Fusiliers, 13th child and 7th and yst. _s._ of the Rev. Riou
George Benson, Rector of Hope Bowdler, co. Salop, by his wife, Mary,
dau. of Thomas Brooke, of Northgate House, Honley, co. York, and
grandson of Moses George Benson, of Lutwyche Hall, co. Salop, J.P.,
D.L.; _b._ 28 July, 1884; educ. The Well House, Malvern Wells,
Repton and Sandhurst, and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 2nd Battn.
of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, 16 Aug. 1905. He retired from the Army
in 1911 and went to Bogowantalawa, Ceylon, and started tea planting,
but on the outbreak of war came home and rejoined his old regt. with
the rank he was when he left it ... Oct. 1914. He was twice wounded,
and was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle in the early morning of 12
March, 1915; _unm._
[Illustration: =Thomas Brooke Benson.=]
=BENSTEAD, CHARLES=, Seaman, R.N.R., 4241A, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in
action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENSTEAD, EDWARD=, Private, No. 6378, 2nd Battn. Royal West
Surrey Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.,
killed in action, 19 Nov. 1914.