Royal Garrison Artillery
Harold Stanley Bennett was born at Cairnscross, Stroud on 5 December 1889. He was the second son of Charles and Florence Bennett, who had four sons and a daughter. Charles Bennett was the Chief Secretary of the Stroud or Mid-Gloucestershire Conservative Benefit Society.
Harold made application to the Special Reserve for Officers on 25 November 1914, when he gave his address as Fromehurst, Frome Park Road, Stroud. His records indicate that he was a tall man standing at 6 foot 4 inches. He was well educated having been a pupil of Marling School, where he matriculated and passed his intermediate science examination. He was awarded a three years’ scholarship to University College, North Wales and became of Bachelor of Science. In 1909 he passed the Civil Service Examination and was appointed an assistant surveyor of taxes in Leeds. Following promotion he became Assistant Surveyor of Taxes in Birmingham, which was his occupation prior to his commissioning into the Army.
He was commissioned into the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) on 6 January 1915 and in April 1915 was based at Nells Point Battery, Barry Island. On Friday, 23 April 1915, at about noon, Bennett was returning to duties at Barry from the Penarth Battery on a motor cycle. Whilst travelling through Penarth a laundry motor van emerged from Albert Road, a side street, and struck him. As a result of the collision Bennett suffered a fracture at the base of the skull and he never regained consciousness before he died two days later (25 April 1915) at The Officer’s Nursing Home, Cardiff. His mother was present when he died. Another report says death occurred at 12.40am at 3rd Western General Hospital, Howard Gardens, Cardiff. His estate (administered by his father) amounted to £72 6s 1d (£72.30).
He was buried with full military honours in Rodborough Churchyard, his body having been brought from Cardiff to Stroud by rail and conveyed in solemn procession to Rodborough. The departure of his remains from Cardiff had been marked by a parade of men from the RGA and the RGA band accompanied the cortege, playing the Dead March from Saul. A detachment from the RGA acted as escort on the journey.
The inscription on his private headstone reads: Harold Stanley Bennett B Sc, 2 Lieutenant-RGA, their dearly beloved second son. Called to rest April 25 1915, aged 25 years, Thy will be done.
At the time of Harold’s death two of his brothers were also serving in the Army. Lieutenant Eugene Paul Bennett had been employed by the Bank of England and had served in the ranks with the Artist’s Rifles before being commissioned into the Worcestershire Regiment. He was later to be promoted to Captain and whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion was awarded the Military Cross in 1916 and on 5 November of that year the Victoria Cross for gallantry at Le Transloy, in what was one of the final battles of the long Somme Offensive. He was the only man from the Stroud district to receive the Victoria Cross in the Great War. He survived the war.
Lieutenant Theodore John Bennett, 17th Indian Infantry (Loyal Regiment) was commissioned from the ranks and went missing, killed in action, on 7 September 1918 during the fighting for German East Africa (now Tanzania). He is commemorated on the Dar-es-Salaam British and Indian Memorial.
The fourth son, Leopold, had died from pneumonia in Bristol shortly after the war had started.
Researched by Graham Adams 17 December 2013 (updated)
Source of information: National Archives file WO374/5790 and article in the Cheltenham Chronicle of 1 May 1915