Biography of Corporal William Bembridge Bennett (15753)
7th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment
Died 26th August 1916

Soldier

  • Name: William Bembridge Bennett
  • Date of birth: 19th February 1884
  • Place of Birth: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: January – March 1884
  • Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Father

  • Name: George Henry Bennett
  • DOB: 1854
  • Place of Birth: Westminster, Middlesex, England
  • Occupation: Baptist Minister

Mother

  • Name: Mary Needham
  • DOB: 1853
  • Place Of Birth: Audlem, Cheshire, England
  • Marriage: 1883 Belper District

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • William Bebridge Bennett, 1884, Bourne
  • Florence Mary Bennett, 1887, Bourne

Census

  • 1891: William is living with his grandparents (Mary Needham’s adopted parents at Cromford Road, Ripley, Derbyshire.
  • 1901: William is living with his parents in his Aunt Eva’s house at 3 Bouverie Square, Folkestone, Kent. The census gives him an age of 17 and he is listed as a watchmaker apprentice.
  • 1911: William is living with the Watkins Family at 44 York Road Southend on Sea, Essex. The census gives him an age of 27 and he is listed as a watchmaker.
Relatives in services

  • None found

Marriage

  • No marriage for William has been found and we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

  • Northampton Chronicle and Echo Wednesday 30th August 1916
    DIED OF WOUNDS
    BENNETT, CORPL. WM. BEMBRIDGE, Northamptonshire Regiment, only son of the late Rev. Geo. Bennett (a Lincolnshire minister) and Mrs. Bennett, now living at 18 Agness road, Northampton, died of dysentry in hospital on Saturday.  He enlisted in September, 1914, and went to the front in September, 1915. Before enlisting he was a jeweller’s assistant at St Neots.

 

  • KILLED IN ACTION
    BENNETT – Died on active service, August 26th, 1916. Corporal William Bembridge, of the Northants Regiment, only son of Mrs. and the late Rev. George Bennett.

 

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • Available

Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • These records show that Corporal William Bembridge Bennett, 15753, 7th Bn Northamptonshire Regiment was killed in action on 26th August 1916 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

Pension Records

  • None found

Effects Left To

  • Sister Florence M Young

Medals

  • The British Medal
    The Victory Medal
    The 15 Star

Memorials

  • UK:
  • Bourne, Bourne War Memorial in the Memorial Gardens
  • Also named on his father’s grave in Cheriton Road Cemetery, Folkestone

 

  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
  • In memory of Corporal William Bembridge Bennett, 15753, 7th Bn., Northampton Regiment who died on 26 August 1916 Age 32
  • Son the late Rev. G. H. Bennett and Mary Bennett, of Bourne, Lincs
  • Remembered with honour, Allonville Communal Cemetery

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

  • Enlisted 14th September 1914 in Northampton
  • Posted as Private in the 7th Northamts on the 15th September 1914
  • Promoted to Corporal in the 7th Northants on the 11th November 1914
  • Attached Headquarters 3rd Brigade  in the field 11th October 1915
  • 14th C.R.S Admitted (Diarrhoea) in the field  16th August 1916
  • 34th Casualty Clearing Station. Admitted (Dysentry) in the field 17th August 1916
  • 39th Casualty Clearing Station. Admitted (Dysentry) in the field 17th August 1916
  • Died of sickness (Dysentry) at 39th Casualty Clearing Station 26th August 1916

 

  • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

  • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • British Newspaper Archive.