[Illustration: =Arthur Leigh-Bennett.=]
=BENNETT, THOMAS HENRY=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 12083, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENNETT, VICTOR ERNEST EDWARD=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch. 18396, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENNETT, WILLIAM HENRY HESP=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 1192), 194125, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=BENNION, REGINALD WALLEY=, Third Writer, M. 7687, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENSON, HUGH CECIL=, Lieut., 9th Battn. The Rifle Brigade, elder _s._ of Cecil Benson, of 35, Bedford Square, W.C., by his wife, Constance, dau. of George Bernard O’Neill; _b._ at 16, Young Street, Kensington Square, W., 3 July, 1883; was educ. at Eton, and afterwards became an Architect. On the declaration of war he volunteered for Imperial Service, and was given a commission in the Rifle Brigade, 30 Dec. 1914. He went to the Western Front with his regt., 20 May, 1915, and was killed in action at Hooge, near Ypres, 22 June following; _unm._
=BENSON, JOHN PENRICE=, Capt., 1st Battn. East Surrey Regt., eldest _s._ of William Denman Benson, of 10, William Street, Knightsbridge, County Court Judge, LL.D., J.P., by his wife, Jane, dau. of Thomas Penrice, D.L., and nephew of Lieut.-Col. R. E. Benson, who died of wounds, 27 Sept. 1914 (see following notice); _b._ Kilvrough, co. Glamorgan, 1 Oct. 1877; educ. Charterhouse and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 16 Feb. 1898, and promoted Lieut. 24 Feb. 1900, and Capt. 8 Oct. 1904; served in the South African War, 1899–1902; took part in the relief of Ladysmith, including action at Colenso; operations of 17 to 24 Jan. 1900, and action at Spion Kop; operations of 5 to 7 Feb. 1900, and action at Vaal Kranz, and operations on Tugela Heights (wounded 23 Feb. 1900); operations in Natal, March to June, 1900, including action at Laings Nek; operations in the Transvaal, 30 Nov. to 31 May, 1902, including those in the Orange River Colony in May, 1901 (Queen’s medal with five clasps and King’s medal with two clasps); afterwards going to India with his regt. He was Adjutant of his Battn., 10 Sept. 1902, to 31 May, 1905. and of Militia and Special Reserve Battn., 15 April, 1907, to Feb. 1913, when he went on half-pay. On the declaration of war, 4 Aug. 1914, he immediately rejoined, was given his company, and went to France on 12 Aug. He proceeded with his regt. to La Cateau, and then to the defence of the Condé Canal, where he was shot through the lower part of the body by a machine gun on the 25th, and died in the Convent School at Boussu, Belgium, the following day, 26 Aug. 1914. He was buried in the Convent School grounds. He _m._ at St. Stephen’s, Gloucester Road, S.W., Laura Annette, 2nd dau. of Major-Gen. Francis Goring Rideout, and had issue a son and dau.: William Frank Montague, _b._ 7 Oct. 1907, and Jane Penrice, _b._ 2 Jan. 1915.
[Illustration: =John Penrice Benson.=]
=BENSON, RICHARD ERLE=, Lieut-Col., 1st Battn. East Yorkshire Regt., 4th _s._ of the late General Henry Roxby Benson, C.B., 17th Lancers (who served through the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny), by his wife, Mary Henrietta (Fairy Hill, Reynoldston Gower, co. Glamorgan), dau. of the late Hon. Mr. Justice William Wightman; _b._ London, 4 Oct. 1862; educ. Eton, and for some time served with the East Surrey Militia. He was gazetted Lieut. to the East Yorkshires (the old 15th), 14 May, 1884, and was promoted Capt. 5 Aug. 1891; Major, 15 Aug. 1903; and Lieut.-Col. 15 Aug. 1911. From July, 1889–May, 1890, he was employed with the Bechuanaland Police Force, and in the South African War served as Adjutant to the 4th Battn. of the East Surreys in 1902. He took part in the operations in Cape Colony, April and May that year, and received the King’s medal. On the outbreak of the European war Col. Benson went to the Front with his regt. as part of the Expeditionary Force. The East Yorkshires reached the Aisne on 19 Sept. and the same afternoon were ordered to relieve the Sussex Regt. in trenches which were being continually shelled. The following day the .... Brigade was ordered to advance against the German positions. The attack was made against a terrific cross-fire of machine guns and shrapnel, as well as a storm of rifle bullet attacks. Col. Benson led the attack with the utmost gallantry, and had, as one of his men afterwards stated, got within 50 yards of the German trenches, when he was shot down. The fighting continued fiercely for nearly an hour, but in spite of the most determined attempts to come to grips with the enemy, the latter could not be dislodged, and the battn. had eventually to retire to its trenches. Col. Benson died of his wounds in St. Nazaire Base Hospital 27 Sept. 1914. His body was brought home and buried in the family vault at Reynoldston, Gower. He _m._ in London, 1905, Janet Florence, dau. of William Armour, and had three children: John, _b._ 1904; Marguerita and Mary. Two of his brothers saw service--Col. S. M. Benson, late 17th Lancers, and Major H. W. Benson, D.S.O., now (1916) commanding officer of the Swansea Battn. of the Welsh Regt.; and a nephew, Capt. John Penrice Benson (son of His Honour Judge Denman Benson), was killed in action, 26 Aug. 1914 (see his notice).
[Illustration: =Richard Erle Benson.=]
=BENSON, THOMAS BROOKE=, Lieut., 2nd Battn. The Royal Scots Fusiliers, 13th child and 7th and yst. _s._ of the Rev. Riou George Benson, Rector of Hope Bowdler, co. Salop, by his wife, Mary, dau. of Thomas Brooke, of Northgate House, Honley, co. York, and grandson of Moses George Benson, of Lutwyche Hall, co. Salop, J.P., D.L.; _b._ 28 July, 1884; educ. The Well House, Malvern Wells, Repton and Sandhurst, and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 2nd Battn. of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, 16 Aug. 1905. He retired from the Army in 1911 and went to Bogowantalawa, Ceylon, and started tea planting, but on the outbreak of war came home and rejoined his old regt. with the rank he was when he left it ... Oct. 1914. He was twice wounded, and was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle in the early morning of 12 March, 1915; _unm._
[Illustration: =Thomas Brooke Benson.=]
=BENSTEAD, CHARLES=, Seaman, R.N.R., 4241A, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BENSTEAD, EDWARD=, Private, No. 6378, 2nd Battn. Royal West Surrey Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc., killed in action, 19 Nov. 1914.
=BENT, JOHN=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 43247) S.S. 423, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=BENTLEY, CLARENCE LESLIE=, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn Manchester Regt., yst. _s._ of the late Alderman and Sheriff William Bentley, of Fulford Grange, York, J.P., Lord Mayor of York (1907), by his wife, Anne Mary (Fulford Grange, York), dau. of Ewen Cameron, of Fort William, Inverness; _b._ York, 8 Aug. 1894; educ. Mill Hill School, N.W., and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He received his commission in the Manchester Regt. 8 Aug. 1914 (his 20th birthday), and served with the 3rd Battn. on the Humber defences till early in Sept., when he took out a draft for the 2nd Battn. at the front. He was killed in action near Festubert, 29 Oct. 1914, and was buried at La Quinque Rue; _unm._ Lieut. Bentley was a bright and talented youth, and was keen on sport, having won all his school colours. He entered Sandhurst as the 195th cadet, and made such good progress that on leaving after the usual course he passed 55th in the 1st Division, and also won his blue for hockey. While serving with the Expeditionary Force he saw a great deal of heavy fighting, and the Captain of his company, in speaking of him, said how much he felt his loss, as he was of such an exceptional and outstanding character. His brother, Lieut. Ronald Cameron Bentley, Green Howards (2nd Battn. Yorkshire Regt.) joined the Expeditionary Force in 1915, and is still (1916) on active service. His eldest brother, Capt. W. W. Bentley, returned from Ceylon, where he held an appointment under Government, early in 1915. He rejoined the Heavy Artillery, in which he had a commission, and is now serving with the Expeditionary Force as Capt. and Adjutant.
[Illustration: =Clarence Leslie Bentley.=]
=BENTLEY, FREELAND MARTELL=, Lieut., 3rd Battn. Gordon Highlanders, _s._ of Capt. Thomas Kellor Bentley, of Port Greville, Nova Scotia, by his wife, Flora Agusta, dau. of Fraser Hatfield; _b._ Port Greville, 19 May, 1887; joined the Army on the outbreak of war, being given a commission as Lieut., 17th Canadian Infantry (Nova Scotia Regt.), 22 Sept. 1914. He was transferred to the 3rd Battn. Gordon Highlanders, 2 April, 1915, and was killed in action near Festubert, 18 June following. His brother, Capt. Lloyd Omen Bentley, served through the war with the Canadian Field Artillery.
[Illustration: =Freeland Martell Bentley.=]
=BENTLEY, GEOFFREY MALCOLM=, Capt., 1st Battn. Northamptonshire Regt., 5th _s._ of Lieut.-Col. Alfred Wilson Bentley, of The Grove, Hadley, Barnet, Herts., J.P., by his wife, Catherine Edith, dau. of John Rogers; _b._ London, 3 May, 1883; educ. Wellington College. He joined the Militia, and served in the South African War, 1900–1, took part in the operations in Cape Colony in 1901, and in the following year was sent for guard duty to St. Helena when the Boer prisoners were quartered there, receiving the Queen’s medal with two clasps. On 28 Jan. 1903 he was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 2nd Battn. Northamptonshire Regt., served in India, and was promoted Lieut. 3 Dec. 1904, and Capt. 7 May, 1910, when he joined the 1st Battn. at Aden. He was afterwards stationed at Devonport and Blackdown. On the outbreak of the European War he went to the front with the Expeditionary Force, and was shot through the head by a sniper in leaving a trench immediately after the Battle of Pilkem, 24 Oct. 1914. He died at Ypres 29 Oct. following without recovering consciousness, and was buried in the cemetery there. Capt. Bentley was mentioned in Sir John French’s Despatch of 14 Jan. 1915 “for gallant and distinguished service in the field.” He _m._ at Bangor, co. Down, 21 Oct. 1908, Edith Marie, only surviving dau. of William Henry Gallway, of Sheila Von, Bangor, and left a dau., Maureen Sheila, _b._ 29 Aug. 1911.