BENNETTS, Percy
| Service Number: | 1294 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 July 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 11th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | St Peters, South Australia, 1895 |
| Home Town: | St Peters (SA), Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | 22 July 1953, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Magill General Cemetery, South Australia Row K, Plot 753 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Crown Lands Department WW1 Honour Board, St Peters Spicer Memorial Church Stained Glass Window Honor Roll WW1 (2) |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1294, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1294, 11th Light Horse Regiment, SS Hawkes Bay, Melbourne | |
| 26 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1294, 11th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: SS Hawkes Bay embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 20 Jan 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 9th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 1 Apr 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Corporal, 11th Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 16 Sep 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 1294, 11th Field Artillery Brigade , Third Ypres, GSW (right shoulder) | |
| 24 Mar 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Corporal, 1294, 11th Field Artillery Brigade |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
Percy was the son of William Paul BENNETTS & Maria Ellen HIGGINS and was born on the 12th of July 1896 at 7 Sixth Avenue, St Peters, SA.
His father was born in 1829 and he was 67 years old when Percy was born.
His mother was born in 1862.
Percy was the fourth child born into this family of 5 children.
His father was a law clerk and then later he became a traveller and was also the gate keeper for the Pt Adelaide Racing Club.
In 1912 Percy successfully passed his exams to become a south Australian civil servant clerk.
At the age of 19, Percy enlisted into the AIF on the 14th of July 1915 in Keswick, SA and was allotted the service number 1294 and posted to M Group, Base Infantry in Mitcham Camp.
He was then posted to the 32nd Battalion and then on the 1st of September he was transferred to D Squadron, Light Horse Regiment.
Fifteen days later he was posted to the 11th Light Horse Regiment, 6th Reinforcements.
Percy embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Benalla on the 27th of October 1915, disembarked in Seuz and marched into No.2 Oasis Camp in Heliopolis.
Percy was in Oasis Camp in Heliopolis, Egypt when his father died on the 27th of December 1915 and his mother buried him in the West Terrace Cemetery.
After more than 3 years overseas and being wounded Percy embarked for Australia on the 24th of December 1918 on board SS Takada and after spending Christmas 1918 on board the troopship he disembarked in Adelaide on the 6th of February 1919.
Percy was discharged from the AIF on the 24th of March 1919.
Unfortunately nothing further has been found on Percy’s life.
His mother Maria died of pneumonia on the 15th of July 1945 in the Royal Adelaide Hospital. She had broken her left femur 9 days earlier and had been hospitalised ever since.
She was buried in the Magill Cemetery; Block B, Row K, Plot 753.
Percy never married.
Percy died on the 22nd of July 1953 and was buried 7 days later in the Magill Cemetery; Block B, Row K, Plot 753, with Maria.
Percy’s name is not on the headstone, only Maria’s.
Military
At the age of 19, Percy enlisted into the AIF on the 14th of July 1915 in Keswick, SA and was allotted the service number 1294 and posted to M Group, Base Infantry in Mitcham Camp.
He listed his mother, of 7 Sixth Avenue, St Peters, as his next of kin and she consented to his enlistment as he was under age.
On the 16th of August he was posted to the 32nd Battalion and then on the 1st of September he was transferred to D Squadron, Light Horse Regiment.
Fifteen days later he was posted to the 11th Light Horse Regiment, 6th Reinforcements.
Percy embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Benalla on the 27th of October 1915, disembarked in Seuz and marched into No.2 Oasis Camp in Heliopolis.
On the 18th of January 1916 the 11th Light Horse Regiment was broken up and Percy was transferred to the 9th Light Horse Regiment, D Squadron at Racecourse Camp in Heliopolis.
Just 4 weeks later on the 18th of February the 11th Light Horse Regiment was reformed and Percy was posted back to them and into C Squadron.
The 11th Light Horse Regiment were attached to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, but were now not used as mounted troops.
Percy continued with drill and musketry training and then on the 1st of April he was transferred to the newly raised 11th Field Artillery Brigade, 41st Field Artillery Battery, as Acting Corporal and realloted the service number 1269 in Serapeum.
The 11th Field Artillery Brigade was raised to support the 4th Division and made up of the following;
41st Field Artillery Battery
42nd Field Artillery Battery
43rd Field Artillery Battery
111th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
11th Brigade Ammunition Column
On the 31st of May they entrained to Alexandria and embarked the following day on board HMT Haverford.
Nine day later they disembarked in Marseilles at 6am and entrained to Le Havre. After 5 days here they entrained to Caestre and went into billets.
Then on the 4th of July they relieved the 2nd Australian Field Artillery Brigade at Fleurbaix before moving to Armentieres 3 weeks later.
They retired back to wagon lines on the 5th of August and the following day they marched to Wallon Cappel and then to Lumbres and trained in manoeuvre work.
Two weeks later they moved to Dickebush, near Ypres in support of the infantry and remained in this area.
Percy suffered from Tonsillitis on the 1st of November and was admitted into the 11th Australian Field Ambulance for 6 days before rejoining his Battery.
Six days later they were relieved and marched to billets at Boeschepe and the following day they began their daunting 82 mile march to Naours, which they completed in 6 days.
They remained in reserve until the 20th of December when they marched to Buire and relieved the 24th Australian Field Artillery in Flers.
Christmas Day was spent here firing on Luisen and Barley trenches.
On the 14th of January 1917 they marched to Perth Camp and were engaged in storing ammunition in the deep dug outs.
The following month was spent at Delville Wood and then they moved to the rest area at Behencourt on the 8th of March. Four day later they moved forward to L'Abbaye d'Eaucourt and then back to Behencourt where they practised drill and cleaned their equipment and harnesses.
On the 4th of April they marched to Bottom Wood and 7 days later they were heavily involved at the Hindenburg Line, near Vaulx for the Battle of Bullecourt.
They remained here until the 17th of May when they entrained to Neuf Berquin into billets and then marched to Westhoff Farm.
Their next major engagement was on the 1st of June at the Battle of Messines where they remained for 4 weeks before moving into the wagon lines at Nieppe and then the front line at Disckebush.
By the 8th of August they were located near Kemmel and then moved to Bailleul before marching to Pradelles on the 5th of September.
Five days later they marched to Ouderdom, Poperinge, Belgium and 5 days later Percy suffered a Gun Shot Wound to the back of his left shoulder and admitted into the 1st Australian Field Ambulance before being transferred to the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding.
The following day, 17th of September, Percy was evacuated by Ambulance Train to the 10th General Hospital in Rouen.
Percy was then invalided to England on the 22nd of September on board HS Essequlbo and admitted into the 4th Southern General Hospital in Plymouth. He required 2 operations to remove the bullet from his shoulder before being transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford on the 2nd of October.
The following week he was discharged to No.2 Command Depot in Weymouth.
Percy remained here until the 31st of May 1918 when he was granted 1 weeks leave and he was than granted 2 weeks leave on the 14th of October.
Percy embarked for Australia on the 24th of December 1918 on board SS Takada and spending Christmas 1918 on board the troopship he disembarked in Adelaide on the 6th of February 1919.
Percy was discharged from the AIF on the 24th of March 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.
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