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James Richard Bennett was born at Bacchus Marsh, VIC, on the 20th of May 1893, to James Bennett and Christina Edwards.
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James was a school teacher (woodwork) at Benalla when he enlisted in the AIF on the 20th of October 1915, at the age of 22. He went to NCO school as a Lance Corporal, became a Corporal, then an acting Sergeant and went to Officer Training School before he embarked at Melbourne, in July 1916, aboard the HMAT Ayrshire.
Disembarking at Plymouth, in September 1916, he proceeded to France in November, as an acting Sergeant. Reverting to Private, he joined the 22nd Battalion in the field. He was promoted to temporary Corporal, then Corporal, then Sergeant and then 2nd Lieutenant. In May 1917, he received a gunshot wound to the face and was admitted to the 8th General Hospital, Rouen, France, then the 3rd London General Hospital(3) and finally St. Dunstans Hostel(4). In June he was promoted to Lieutenant and in August placed on the Seconded list - blind in the left eye and defective in the right eye(1).
He embarked for Australia aboard the A68, in November 1917 and was discharged from the AIF on the 15th of February 1918.
In 1918 he married(2) Murial Violet Bence and continued his career as a teacher at Stawell, VIC and later at Sale, VIC.
In 1942 he enlisted at Sale, VIC for part-time duty in the Volunteer Defence Corps, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, finishing his service in 1944.
James Bennett died at Heidelberg(5), VIC, in 1979, aged 85.
He is listed on the Shire of Bacchus Marsh Roll of Honour, the Bacchus Marsh & District Roll of Honour, the Roll of Honour for the Bacchus Marsh ANA and the Holy Trinity Church Roll of Honour. He is also remembered in the Coimadai Avenue of Honour.
Tree Position (accuracy ±1 tree) -37.677468682894144, 144.44983806874953
Last updated by lee, Thu, 06 May 2021 15:25:00