Gunner Herbert Henry Bennett Royal Field Artillery
The Man Herbert Henry Bennett was born on Tuesday 20th June 1876 in the village of Wappenbury, Warwickshire, son of William a Farmers Waggoner and Ann nee Fields. He was Baptised in Wappenbury on 18th July.
Herbert was one of seven children One of seven children, Olive ?, Thomas (1873-1953), Rose Ellen (1878-1959), Annie Louisa (1883-1963), Percy John (1886- killed in action 9th October 1917 aged 31 whilst serving in 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Buried at Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension grave No III. D. 11.) and Frank (1892-1979),
The 1891 census shows the family living at The Cottage in Wappenbury and Herbert, aged 14, is listed as an Agricultural Labourer Ploughboy.
On Thursday 14th April 1889 Herbert married Jane Horley in the Parish Church of St Nicholas, Radford Semele and they had one daughter Dorothy May (1899-1978). In 1901 Herbert, Jane and Dorothy were living at Victoria Cottages in Wappenbury and Herbert had become a Railway Drayman. By 1911 they were living in New Cubbington near Leamington Spa and Herbert a milk-seller. They later lived at 17 Edward Street, Milverton, Leamington Spa.
At the outbreak of world War I on 4th August 1914 Herbert was aged 38 and initially too old to volunteer, but the Military Service Act was introduced in January 1916, rendering all single men and childless widowers between the ages of 18 and 41 liable to conscription, followed by Military Service No 2 in June 1916, extending conscription to all men between these ages and extended again to age 50 in April 1918. Herbert was conscripted and enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery as a Gunner with service number 249176.
He was posted overseas returning to the UK following the Armistice in 1918, but contracted Pneumonia and Toxaemia, blood poisoning by toxins from a local bacterial infection (possibly Spanish Flu), as a result of his war service and passed away at 17 Edward Street on 26th February 1919.
Herbert was buried with a Commonwealth War Grave headstone in Milverton Cemetery, Old Milverton Road, Leamington Spa and also remembered on the Royal Leamington Spa War Memorial. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-18 British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Following his death Jane was granted a pension of £1.9s.19d a week (approx. £2340.00 per annum in 2023). She lived another 44 years passing away in the first quarter of 1963 aged 89.
Herbert was one of seven children One of seven children, Olive ?, Thomas (1873-1953), Rose Ellen (1878-1959), Annie Louisa (1883-1963), Percy John (1886- killed in action 9th October 1917 aged 31 whilst serving in 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Buried at Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension grave No III. D. 11.) and Frank (1892-1979),
The 1891 census shows the family living at The Cottage in Wappenbury and Herbert, aged 14, is listed as an Agricultural Labourer Ploughboy.
On Thursday 14th April 1889 Herbert married Jane Horley in the Parish Church of St Nicholas, Radford Semele and they had one daughter Dorothy May (1899-1978). In 1901 Herbert, Jane and Dorothy were living at Victoria Cottages in Wappenbury and Herbert had become a Railway Drayman. By 1911 they were living in New Cubbington near Leamington Spa and Herbert a milk-seller. They later lived at 17 Edward Street, Milverton, Leamington Spa.
At the outbreak of world War I on 4th August 1914 Herbert was aged 38 and initially too old to volunteer, but the Military Service Act was introduced in January 1916, rendering all single men and childless widowers between the ages of 18 and 41 liable to conscription, followed by Military Service No 2 in June 1916, extending conscription to all men between these ages and extended again to age 50 in April 1918. Herbert was conscripted and enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery as a Gunner with service number 249176.
He was posted overseas returning to the UK following the Armistice in 1918, but contracted Pneumonia and Toxaemia, blood poisoning by toxins from a local bacterial infection (possibly Spanish Flu), as a result of his war service and passed away at 17 Edward Street on 26th February 1919.
Herbert was buried with a Commonwealth War Grave headstone in Milverton Cemetery, Old Milverton Road, Leamington Spa and also remembered on the Royal Leamington Spa War Memorial. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-18 British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Following his death Jane was granted a pension of £1.9s.19d a week (approx. £2340.00 per annum in 2023). She lived another 44 years passing away in the first quarter of 1963 aged 89.
Herbert Henry Bennett's Commonwealth War Grave Headstone. Milverton Cemetery, Leamington Spa.
The Story The Victory Medal awarded to Herbert Henry Bennett was acquired from E-Bay on 30th October 2023 as a buy it now. The medal was found after a cursory search of ‘Leamington Spa Medals’.
Herbert’s medal was of immediate interest as he had lived and died in Leamington Spa, has a Commonwealth War Grave in Milverton Cemetery and commemorated on the town War Memorial.
Ancestry enabled a biography to be pieced together and Herbert’s grave was visited and a poppy cross placed on 10th November 2023 and also at the War Memorial.
Herbert will now be remembered on an annual basis.
Herbert’s medal was of immediate interest as he had lived and died in Leamington Spa, has a Commonwealth War Grave in Milverton Cemetery and commemorated on the town War Memorial.
Ancestry enabled a biography to be pieced together and Herbert’s grave was visited and a poppy cross placed on 10th November 2023 and also at the War Memorial.
Herbert will now be remembered on an annual basis.
Royal Leamington Spa War Memorial.
17 Edward Street, Milverton, Leamington Spa. 10th November 2023
St Nicholas, Radford Semele, where Herbert and Jane were married in 1889
Medal Details:
- 1914-18 British War Medal: Missing.
- Victory Medal: 249176. GNR.H.H.BENNETT. R.A.
This page last updated 11 Nov 23
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