Raymond Eric Gerard Bennett

Raymond Eric Gerard Bennett

Personal Information
Date of Birth	16 May 1907
Place of Birth	Bunbury, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	32 years, 4 months
Occupation	Truck driver
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	Railway avenue, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr William Bennett
Military Information
Reg Number	WX124
Date of Enlistment	7 Nov 1939
Rank	Gunner
Unit/Formation	2nd/3rd Field Regiment
Date of Embarkation	11 May 1940 ‒ 30 May 1940
Ship Embarked On	HMT Empress of Japan Fremantle to Cape Town

War Service

Enlisted at Subiaco and sent to the Northam camp on 7 Nov 1939. On 8 Dec 1939 he boarded a train in Northam for Sydney, arriving on 13 Dec 1939. Following training Raymond was granted embarkation leave in Sydney from 29 Feb until 21 Mar 1940, after which they travelled back to WA and reported to the Melville camp on 28 Mar 1940. While in Sydney on 4 May 1940, Raymond's unit boarded HMT Queen Mary, a member of Convoy US3 which included 4 other ships with the 17th Brigade of the 6th Division aboard, his records imply that he boarded HMT X5 in Perth, believed to be HMT Empress of Japan. The convoy sailed for the Middle East, as at that time Italy had not yet declared their hand. However, before reaching Colombo, Italy had entered the war and the convoy was redirected via Cape Town. In Cape Town the Chinese crew of the Empress of Japan mutinied and her troops were spread amongst the other ships for the rest of the voyage. Ray's records show that he was transhipped to the HMT X1, likely to have been HMT Queen Mary, and that the day before he had been charged with being AWOL from 8:00am to 2:30pm on 29 May 1940, for which he was fined 10/- ($1), and awarded 2 day Confined to Barracks at the end of the journey. They disembarked from the Queen Mary at Gourock, west of Glasgow in Scotland on 17 Jun 1940 and were placed on trains, first for Edinburgh, and then Salisbury in the south of England.

Sent to Tidworth for specialised training, Ray was hospitalised from 29 Jul until 6 Aug 1940 in their Military Hospital with Mumps. On 1 Sep 1940 he was charged with 'Failing to appear at the place of parade appointed by his Commanding Officer.' His punishment was 2 days Confined to Barracks. While in Britain the 2/3 Field Regiment was employed on garrison duties to defend against any German invasion that might occur. While there they became the first Australian artillery unit to receive the new 25 pounder guns. On 15 Nov 1940 they embarked on HMT L11 HMT Empress of Canada in Gourock, Scotland for the Middle East, arriving there on 31 Dec 1940.

The regiment saw action against the Italians at Tobruk where they supported the 19th Infantry Brigade. Benghazi fell next and after that was taken, the regiment deployed one battery forward in support of the 17th Infantry Brigade at Marsa Brega. A short time later, though, the regiment was withdrawn back to Ikingi Maryut to re-organise.

On 26 Mar 1941 the unit boarded SS Braftdal for Greece, arriving several days later. On 6 May 1941 Ray was charged with having been AWOL from 7:00pm on 31 Mar until 3:30pm on 1 Apr 1941, for which he received a 10/- ($1) fine. On arrival in Greece they moved towards the Yugoslav border where they attempted to defend Vevi in the Florina Valley. Here they had the distinction of being the first Australian artillery unit to engage German forces during the war. After mauling an SS force on the Itia–Vevi road, as the Australian and New Zealand forces were pushed back to Servia on 11 April, amidst driving snow the regiment fought a desperate rearguard effort around the Klidi Pass, firing over open sights at advancing German infantry. Falling back through thick mud, the regiment came under attack from German fighter-bombers before they eventually affected their withdrawal.

A disastrous series of withdrawals followed in which the regiment lost all of its equipment. A week later, the regiment was briefly attached in support of the 6th New Zealand Brigade. On 18 April, the fighting was so intense that the regiment's guns fire over 6,000 rounds in a twenty-four-hour period as it attempted to thwart the advance of a German armoured column near Mount Olympus. Later the regiment supported the 4th New Zealand Brigade around Erithrai. Finally, on 27 April the regiment was evacuated from Greece on board HMS Ajax and withdrawn back to Crete.

The regiment was initially assigned as a makeshift infantry unit to carry out garrison duties, but in early May the regiment was re-equipped with captured Italian and French guns, and the regiment was assigned a coastal defence role and moved to Georgiopolis, on the south-east coast of Suda Bay. With the arrival of German parachute troops on 20 May, the regiment was transported to Maleme airfield, and another battery was detached to Retimo and in these places the regiment fought with its guns in support of the 19th Infantry Brigade. Near Meg Khorafia some of the regiment's personnel were thrown into the line as infantry. As the Germans pressed hard against the Australian and New Zealand defences, the regiment found itself holding the line as the infantry fell back, and as the guns fired over open sights, the gunners defended themselves with small arms.

Later during the month, as the Allies were forced back towards Sphakia, to prevent the Germans from capturing it, the regiment had to destroy most of its equipment. Two of the captured 75 mm guns were saved, though, and were manpacked by men from 'B' Troop over mountainous terrain to act in a rearguard role between Sphakia and Suda, while the Royal Navy attempted to evacuate the stranded troops. The regiment continued to fight until it was withdrawn by sea on 31 May, leaving behind 129 men who were captured by the Germans. On 3 Jun 1941 Ray disembarked in Middle East, being one of the lucky ones to have returned from Greece and Crete.

From 30 Jul until 13 Aug 1941 Ray was treated for dysentery by the 7th Australian General Hospital. He returned to his unit via the Artillery Training Regiment on 23 Aug 1941. The regiment remained in the Middle East until 13 Feb 1942 when the 6th Division was recalled back to Australia in response to the growing threat posed by Japan's entry into the war. Arriving in Fremantle aboard SS City of Hankow on 28 Mar 1942, the regiment was stationed at Aldgate near Adelaide until May 1942 when it was transferred to Townsville, Queensland, by rail. There, the regiment was reallocated to the 5th Division and assigned a coastal defence role in Cairns, operating antiquated 18-pounder guns.

Discharged 18 Nov 1944

Post War

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