POTTER, Benjamin
| Service Number: | 3665 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 October 1915, Dubbo, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 18th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Keston, England, United Kingdom, 31 March 1894 |
| Home Town: | Warren, Warren Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | County Council C of E School |
| Occupation: | Farm labourer |
| Died: | Died of Wounds, France, 3 May 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Grevillers British Cemetery Grave Reference:II. C. 8., Grevillers British Cemetery, Grevillers, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Oct 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3665, Dubbo, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3665, 18th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1 | |
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3665, 18th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3665, 18th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , GSW (right leg) - evacuated to the UK | |
| 3 May 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3665, 18th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second), Died of Wounds awm_died_date: 1917-05-03 awm_place_died: France awm_died_cause: Died of wounds awm_cemetery: Grevillers British Cemetery--- cwgc_import: casualty: '290882' surname: Potter forenames: Benjamin |
Ben Potter
Benjamin migrated to Australia and worked on a sheep station shortly before the outbreak of the first world war. He joined the Australian Infantry Forces as a signaller and was wounded in the leg and sent to England to convalesce. It was there where his family was able to visit him before he was sent back to the front (with shrapnel still in his knees).
Benjamin was later killed in action in France near Pas De Calais and is buried in the Grevillers British Cemetary.
Benjamin was remembered as a "quiet chap" and as being "quite intelligent and good at school." Ben was a very good cartoonist and did portraits of family and things that interested him. Once he did a superb sketch of King Edward 7th laying ready for burial. A very important gentleman named, Lord Moore Kennedy, saw it and insisted on being allowed to purchase it from him. Ben was astounded and told the gentleman to take the picture free of charge. No doubt had he outlived the war he would have had a very promising future ahead of him.
Benjamin was engaged to a lovely young lady by the name of Florence Morley but due to his untimely death they were never married. Benjamin was a kind and loving soul who often sent money home to his parents from his earnings from his station work in Australia. His parents kept this correspondence and in an ironic twist it was these letters to his parents that made it possible for the Australian Government to give his parents his pension for life.
Submitted 10 April 2016 by Jared Smith
Biography contributed by Steve Larkins
Benjamin Potter
Benjamin migrated to Australia and worked on a sheep station shortly before the outbreak of the first world war.
He joined the Australian Imperial Force as a signaller and was wounded in the leg and sent to England to convalesce.
It was there where his family was able to visit him before he was sent back to the front (with shrapnel still in his knees). Benjamin was later killed in action in France near Pas De Calais and is buried in the Grevillers British Cemetary. Benjamin was remembered as a "quiet chap" and as being "quite intelligent and good at school." Ben was a very good cartoonist and did portraits of family and things that interested him. Once he did a superb sketch of King Edward 7th laying ready for burial. A very important gentleman named, Lord Moore Kennedy, saw it and insisted on being allowed to purchase it from him. Ben was astounded and told the gentleman to take the picture free of charge.
No doubt had he survived the war he would have had a very promising future ahead of him. Benjamin was engaged to a lovely young lady by the name of Florence Morley but due to his untimely death they were never married. Benjamin was a kind and loving soul who often sent money home to his parents from his earnings from his station work in Australia. His parents kept this correspondence and in an ironic twist it was these letters to his parents that made it possible for the Australian Government to give his parents his pension for life.
Jarred Smith
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 23 and the son of James and Clara Potter, of Brewery Cottages, Hayes, Kent, England.
Births Jun 1894 Potter Benjamin Bromley 2a 404
He is commemorated on the Hayes, Kent war memorial.
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