BENNETT, William Richard
| Service Number: | 10973 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 11th Field Company Engineers |
| Born: | Maffra, Victoria, Australia, November 1890 |
| Home Town: | Maffra, Wellington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Maffra State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Horse driver |
| Died: | Influenza, General Military Hospital, Colchester, Essex, England , United Kingdom, 23 November 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Colchester Cemetery, Essex, United Kingdom T. 5, 86 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Boisdale Honor Roll WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 10973, 10th Field Company Engineers | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun 1916: | Involvement Driver, 10973, 10th Field Company Engineers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Jun 1916: | Embarked Driver, 10973, 10th Field Company Engineers, HMAT Runic, Melbourne | |
| 5 Jun 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Driver, 10973, 10th Field Company Engineers, Battle of Messines, GSW to face, severe | |
| 14 Aug 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Driver, 10973, 10th Field Company Engineers, GSW to left scapula | |
| 23 Nov 1918: | Involvement Driver, 10973, 11th Field Company Engineers, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 10973 awm_unit: 10 Field Company awm_rank: Driver awm_died_date: 1918-11-23 |
Help us honour William Richard Bennett's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was, according to his death registration, 28 years old.
Deaths Dec 1918 Bennett William R 28 Colchester 4a 1681
CWGC show him as having served with the 10th Field Company.
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 23rd November…… William Richard Bennett was born at Maffra, Victoria in 1889. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 21st February, 1916 as a 25 year old, single, Horse Driver from Dandenong, Victoria.
Driver William Richard Bennett embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Runic (A54) on 20th June, 1916 with the 10th Field Company Engineers, 1st Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 10th August, 1916. Driver Bennett had been sent to Ship’s Hospital from 25th to 27th June, 1916 suffering from Influenza.
On 9th September, 1916 Driver Bennett was taken on strength at Australian Engineers, 10th Training Company, Brightlingsea, England. He was sent to Colchester Hospital, England on 10th September, 1916 with Scabies.
He was marched out to Christchurch on 31st October, 1916 from 10th Training Company, Larkhill & was marched in to Australian Engineers at Perham Downs, Wiltshire on 1st November, 1916 from Larkhill, Wiltshire.
On 6th December, 1916 Driver Bennett was sent sick to Boscombe Military Hospital. He was marched in Australian Engineers at Brightlingsea on 12th January, 1917.
Driver Bennett proceeded overseas to France via Folkestone on 26th February, 1917 on S.S. Invicta from Training Depot at Christchurch. He was marched in to A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) at Etaples, France on 27th February, 1917.
He was sent sick to Hospital at Etaples on 3rd March, 1917 & was admitted to 26th General Hospital at Etaples on 4th March, 1917 with a skin disease. He was marched out to Base Depot on 15th March, 1917 & rejoined A.G.B.D. from Hospital the same day.
On 28th March, 1917 Driver Bennett was transferred to 10th Field Company. He was admitted to 11th Australian Field Ambulance on 20th April, 1917 with Scabies then transferred to Nth Casualty Clearing Station on 23rd April, 1917. He was discharged to duty on 28th April, 1917 & rejoined his Unit on 29th April, 1917.
Driver William Richard Bennett was wounded in action on 5th June, 1917. He was evacuated to Casualty Clearing Station on 5th June, 1917 then transferred & admitted to 83rd General Hospital at Boulogne, France on 6th June, 1917 with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to face. Driver Bennett was admitted to No. 1 Convalescent Depot on 8th June, 1917 then discharged to 3rd Divisional Rest Camp on 20th June, 1917. He rejoined his Unit on 4th July, 1917.
He proceeded on leave to England on 18th March, 1918 & rejoined 10th Field Company Engineers from leave on 8th April, 1918.
Driver William Richard Bennett was wounded in action (2nd occasion) on 14th August, 1918. He was admitted to 53rd Field Ambulance on 14th August, 1918 then transferred to same day to Casualty Clearing Station with bullet wound to left Scapula. Driver Bennett was admitted to 5th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 16th August, 1918. He was transferred to Ambulance Train 15 on 18th August, 1918 to be invalided to England. Driver Bennett embarked for England on 19th August, 1918 on Hospital Ship Essequibo.
He was admitted to Bath War Hospital, England on 26th August, 1918 with G.S.W. to right Scapula – severe. Driver Bennett was discharged from Bath War Hospital on 31st August, 1918 for furlo to 14th September, 1918 & was then to report to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire.
On 16th October, 1918 Driver Bennett was marched out to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire from Sutton Veny then transferred to Engineers Training Depot at Brightlingsea on 1st November, 1918.
He was sent sick to Colchester Hospital (no date recorded).
Driver William Richard Bennett died at 19.30 hrs on 23rd November, 1918 at General Military Hospital, Colchester, Essex, England from Influenza.
He was buried in Colchester Cemetery, Colchester, Essex, England where 10 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/colchester.html
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