Harry Wallace Benson

Harry Wallace Benson

Personal Information
Date of Birth	21 Jan 1916
Place of Birth	London, England
Death	1975
Place of Death	New South Wales
Age at Enlistment	26 years, 9 months
Description	5'8" (1.73m) tall ; ; dark complexion ; grey eyes ; brown hair ; scar on left shoulder
Occupation	Prospector
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	River road, Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr. Henry Benson
Military Information
Reg Number	WX466
Date of Enlistment	7 Nov 1939
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	20 Apr 1940 ‒ 17 Jun 1940
Transport Details	HMT Nevasa Fremantle to Kantara, Egypt
Transfers
Journey Dates	10 Apr 1941 ‒ 12 Apr 1941
Transport Details	SS Pennland Gaza to Pireas, Greece
Journey Dates	25 Apr 1941 ‒ 26 Apr 1941
Transport Details	SS Thurland Castle Megara, Greece to Suda Bay Crete
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	18 Jun 1945 ‒ 24 Jul 1945
Transport Details	J 11 England to Sydney
Post War Details
Fate	Prisoner of War Returned to Australia
External Monument(s)	The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial Ballarat, Victoria
Medals	1939-45 Star Africa Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45 Greek Commemorative War Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries: 1943 River road, Kelmscott, debt collector

War Service

Harry enlisted in Subiaco on 7 Nov 1939 and he was allocated to the 2/11th Australian Infantry Battalion. On 19 Nov 1939 he was charged with having overstayed his leave for which he received a fine of 5/- (50 cents). On 30 Nov 1939 Harry and his unit embarked in Fremantle to join the 18th Brigade of the 6th Australian Division at Greta in New South Wales. In Sydney Harry was AWOL from midnight 6 January until 10:00am the following day. Fined £2 ($4) on this occasion.

The battalion returned to Western Australia in the middle of March 1940 for pre-embarkation leave and embarked on HMT Nevasa* the at Fremantle for service overseas on 20 Apr 1940. They disembarked at Kantara in the middle of the Suez Canal on 17 May 1940. On 29 May 1940 Harry was charged with having been absent between 6:30pm and 9:00pm. Punishment was a fine of 15/- ($1.50). AWOL again, between 8:30am and 11:00pm on 26 Jun 1940, this time he was sentenced to 14 days detention (spent in 1st Australian Detention Barracks and the automatic forfeit of 15 day's pay.

The battalion saw action in Libya against Italian forces around Bardia, Tobruk and Derna during January 1941, and then near Benghazi the following month. The battalion boarded SS Pennland in Gaza harbour on 10 Apr 1941 for Greece, landing at Pireus on 12 Apr 1941. On 4 Apr 1941 Harry was admitted to the 26th British General Hospital with an infection but seems to have rejoined his unit before they were evacuated on SS Thurland Castle 25 - 26 Apr 1941 to Crete. The next entry in Harry's records lists him as missing on 4 Jun 1941, and believed to be a POW on 8 Jun 1941. The Red Cross were able to confirm that he was a POW being held in Stalag VIIA on 28 Oct 1941 with a POW Number of 92178.

On 8 Apr 1943 Harry was interned in Stalag 383. On 12 May 1945 Harry arrived in the UK, as a recovered POW, by plane from Europe. He was taken on strength by the 1st AIF Transit Camp UK. On 18 Jun 1945 he embarked on J11 in England for the New South Wales Recruit Reception & General Details Depot, arriving in Sydney and disembarking on 24 Jul 1945. On 31 Jul 1945 he was transferred to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot. From 10 - 30 Aug 1945 Harry received rehabilitation treatment from the 109th Australian Convalescent Depot before being admitted to the 110th Australian Base Hospital (also known as Perth Military Hospital). He returned to the convalescent depot on 12 Sep 1945, before being sent back to the hospital on 28 Sep 1945. Harry had one last visit to the convalescent depot from 2 Nov 1945 until 10 Dec 1945 before being sent back to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depoton 10 Dec 1045 for discharge. Harry sought discharge in NSW on compassionate grounds and it was granted with the discharge occurring on 19 Feb 1946.

Post War

During 1949 married Dorothy Mabel Isabel Spencer in Perth

Electoral Roll entries: 1958 - 1963 at 6 Stanbury street, Gladesville, NSW, student with Dorothy working as a clerk; 1968 - 1980 an industrial chemist living with Dorothy at 58 Bellevue avenue, Denistone NSW.

External Links

• Ballarat POW Memorial