Gordon Edgar (George) Bennett
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | not known |
| Place of Birth | New Barking, Essex, England |
| Death | 31 Aug 1980, aged 92 |
| Place of Death | Bicton, Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 27 year, 7 months |
| Description | 5' 2½" (1.59m) tall, weight 123 lbs (55.8 kg); tanned complexion, brown eyes, and brown hair |
| Occupation | labourer |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Beenup, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Mother Mrs Elizabeth Bennett |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 4674 |
| Date of Enlistment | 22 Feb 1916 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit/Formation | 28th Battalion, 12th Reinforcement, B Company / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 17 Apr 1916 - 14 May 1916 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A60 Aeneas |
| Date of Return | 12 Dec 1918 - 18 Jan 1919 |
| Ship Returned On | HMAT A71 Nestor |
| Fate |
Wounded in Action 30 May 1918 Mourlancourt area, Returned to Australia |
| Monument | Armadale War Memorial (Beenup panel) |
| Medals |
British War Medal Victory Medal |
War Service
Soon after entering Blackboy Hill camp, Gordon was allocated to the 12th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion.
On arrival in England he was sent to the 7th Training Battalion in Rollestone, before he joined his unit on 24 Sep 1916, two weeks after arriving in France.
Taken ill, he was in hospital sick, or in depots working his way back to the Battalion from 20 Nov to 1 Dec 1916; 13 Dec 1916 to 28 Feb 1917; and 29 Jun 1917 to 13 Feb 1918.
Gordon would appear to have been wounded on 1 Jun 1918 as his battalion was being withdrawn from the front lines, and he may have been another victim of the enemy aircraft that dropped two bombs on B Company. Treated at the 5th Aust Field Ambulance, he was passed to the 61st Casualty Clearing Station before entering 13th General Hospital in Boulogne. Soon after he embarked on HMHS St Andrew for England where he was sent to the Norfolk War Hospital.
413th Casualty List. NOK ..WOUNDED... Bennett, Gordon Edgar (England).[1]
Once he recovered he was processed for early return to Australia as the war was in its final stages.
Mentioned in the 1917 Feb-Mar edition of Drill of the Foot-Hills held in the Birtwistle Local Studies Library.
Post War
In 1950 Gordon was in receipt of a War Pension of £1-2-0 ($2.20) per fortnight.
Electoral Roll entries include - 1925 boot maker at 21 Wolseley Gardens, East Fremantle; 1931 boot maker at 21 Queen Victoria street, Fremantle ; 1936- 1972 newsagent at 11 Wolseley road, East Fremantle.
At the time of his death, he was living in Bristol Ave, Bicton.
Notes
AIF website, based on embarkation details, credits Beenup as place of residence.
References
- ↑ "WESTERN AUSTRALIA.". The West Australian. XXXIV, (5,067). Western Australia. 2 July 1918. p. 5. Retrieved 18 May 2017 – via National Library of Australia.