corisande Posted 11 June , 2010 Share Posted 11 June , 2010 I am having trouble getting any background on Lt George Bennett, one of the men murdered on Bloody Sunday, 21 Nov 1920 in Dublin The commonness of his name and the fact that he only appears to have one Christian name makes tracking him difficult/impossible in census, London Gazette, civil registrations, MIC, etc. He is mentioned briefly in a number of books, and I have put what I have on him on this web page. 1. There is a LG entry that I think is him with a Special Appointment - most of the officers in intelligence in Ireland had these "Special Appointment" entries, and of the 4 men with them in that LG issue, certainly one of the others was a man targeted on 21 Nov (R D Jeune) 2. "the son of J W Bennett of Bournemouth" and a Catholic (buried in a Catholic cemetery) 3. CWGC says Special List & RASC (ILN photo above had RA, and Gleeson has RA) 4. Gleeson in "Bloody Sunday has "Educated at Sherborne and Magdalan College, Oxford, where he took an honours in Law. At the outbreak of war he joined Motor Transport for a few weeks. And afterward served with the intelligence department in Holland. After the war he was asked to rejoin the intelligence department for service in Ireland. " I have not been able to substantiate any of that. 5. Certainly the IRA believed that he was one of the leaders of Intelligence in Ireland, but he does not seem to have risen above LT, temp Capt. Can anyone help me uncover his past. I have no reason to believe that he was anyone other then George Bennett (in other words I believe that is his real name) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmac Posted 11 June , 2010 Share Posted 11 June , 2010 Why not try the school and the college mentioned? I have had some helpful replies from such institutions in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 11 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 11 June , 2010 I should be able to get something from year books when I am in UK over the summer. I have tried their web sites but have not found anything on alumni going back that far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmania Posted 11 June , 2010 Share Posted 11 June , 2010 Forum member Dick Flory (rflory) offers look ups in School Registers in a Classic Thread. Aled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmac Posted 11 June , 2010 Share Posted 11 June , 2010 I should be able to get something from year books when I am in UK over the summer. I have tried their web sites but have not found anything on alumni going back that far. Try the Old Boys organisation, the Old Shirburnian Society: oss@sherborne.org (http://www.oldshirburnian.org.uk/) For Magdalen perhaps helen.burt@magd.ox.ac.uk who is the Alumni Relations and Development Officer and deals with general enquiries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 11 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 11 June , 2010 Thanks guys, I had not come across Dick Florys help offer on school and university registers. I have put a request on it for Dick. With a bit of luck he will have something on either Sherborne or Magdalen You can tell how blinkered I am - never knew that thread existed. If he does not have the books, then I will contact those two email address that you have kindly provided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmania Posted 11 June , 2010 Share Posted 11 June , 2010 Started to crack it: The notification of his death in The Times stated that he was the son of the late J W Bennett of 'Harwood', Branksome Park, Bournemouth. I had a look at the 1911 Census but the Bennett family were not living there then but I had a look for any George Bennett's and there was one born about 1893 in Batavia but a British subject, living with his widowed mother Maria Bennett born about 1860 in Batavia, a Dutch subject. I thought there might be a link as you mention that G Bennett was with the intelligence service in Holland. Couldn't find the death of a J W Bennett in The Times but did find that the death of a James William Bennett born about 1851 was registered in Poole, Dorset in the June Qtr of 1909. Had a look for James William Bennett in the 1901 Census and found the family at 'Harwood', Lindsey Road, Bournemouth: James W Bennett, Mechanical Engineer - born Grimbsby about 1851 Maria Bennett - born Rotterdam about 1852 then Annie (c1884), William (c1892) and George (c1893) all born Batavia, Java another daughter Dorca(?) was born in Bournemouth (c1894). There was also a governess and three servants. Plenty to work with there! Aled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 11 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 11 June , 2010 Plenty to work with there! Thanks Aled. I certainly need to buy a subscription to the Times archives. I did try yesterday, but my privacy setting meant that they would not allow me to sign up. After a great deal of messing around I realised that by switching from Firefox (which I normally use) to Explorer (which I am prepared to use accepting cookies) that it would let me sign up on Time Archives - by then I had run out of enthusiasm and did not finish the job of signing up That stuff you have found will keep me out of mischief for the rest of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 14 June , 2010 Share Posted 14 June , 2010 Hi, I am not sure on this listing but this is from the 31 Nov 1914 Army List : The Royal Sussex Regiment 11th (Service Battalion) (1st South Dwn) 2nd Lieutenant Bennett G (temp) 16 Sept14 This man looks more likely On the 27 Nov 1919 Army List Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery Temp 2nd Lieutenant Bennett G, MM 12 Sept 1918 (Supernumerary or Seconded List) Not on the 29 Nov 1920 Army List On the 28 Nov 1918 Army List Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery Temp 2nd Lieutenant Bennett G, MM 12 Sept 1918 (no mention of Supernumerary or Seconded List) Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 14 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2010 Thanks Mark Don't think either of them is my man. I have put it all together on him now on web page He left Oxford in 1914 or 1915. And the first mention I have of him in army is 1917 Oct 23 Special Appointment Graded for purposes of pay as a Staff Lt 2nd Cl: — Temp. 2nd Lt. G. Bennett, A.S.C., and to be transfd. to Gen. List.Gazette Sherborne say of him At the outbreak of war he joined Motor Transport for a few weeks. And afterwards served with the intellegence department in Holland. After the war he was asked to rejoin the intellegence department for service in Ireland. After I first pick him up in Gazette there are another 4 mentions, all special appointments, Put I have not found anything earlier than Oct 1917. In other words, he certainly appears to he gone into ASC, but I cannot find the Gazette entry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 14 June , 2010 Share Posted 14 June , 2010 Hi, This must be him on the 28 Nov 1917 Army List Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 14 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2010 Mark Thanks, that is him. What do the two dates, 14 Aug 1916 and 23 Oct 1917 mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 14 June , 2010 Share Posted 14 June , 2010 Mark Thanks, that is him. What do the two dates, 14 Aug 1916 and 23 Oct 1917 mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 14 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2010 OK thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 14 June , 2010 Share Posted 14 June , 2010 Hi, This is from the 28 Nov 1918 Army List Cross in circle :Acting Rank Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 14 June , 2010 Share Posted 14 June , 2010 On the 27 Nov 1919 Army List Special List Lieutenant * Bennett G 14 Feb18 Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 14 June , 2010 Share Posted 14 June , 2010 Hi, On the 31 Oct 1916 Army List Army Service Corps Temporary 2nd Lieutenant Bennett G 14Aug16 Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 14 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2010 Thanks Mark Think that now proves he was commissioned 14 Aug 1916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 14 June , 2010 Share Posted 14 June , 2010 Hi, This looks like him on the Army Officers Long Number List Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 15 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 15 June , 2010 And again, that is him, see they actually have him as Intelligence Corps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 19 September , 2010 Share Posted 19 September , 2010 Hi, I came across a Captain Bennett mentioned in 'Lawrence of Arabia: The Authorized Biography of T. E. Lawrence' by Jeremy Wilson. I have no idea if it is the same man, since there is no first initial given and 'Bennett' is quite a common name on the Army List. The book also does not mention what the 'Hedgehog' Staff was. Special liaison staff GHQ Cairo ‘Hedgehog’ Staff March 1918 Colonel Dawnay GSO 1 Captain Pratt Barlow GSO 3 Major Wordie DAQMG Captain Bennett Staff Captain Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 19 September , 2010 Author Share Posted 19 September , 2010 Thanks Mark I will have a go at that tomorrow and see if I can wring anything out of it. Bennett had a HH "Special Appointment" at that time - which could have been anything, but certainly was intelligence. The grade looks about right to fit there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 20 September , 2010 Share Posted 20 September , 2010 Hi, These are the possible Bennett's on the Commands & Staff Army List 28 Nov 1918 Regards Mark Commands & Staff Class GG Bennett,Lt.B, Herts.R 6Julyl8 Class HH Bennett, Temp Lt. G 28Oct17 Brigade Major Bennett, Capt. R H E, M.C. Som L I 6Mar18 Staff Captains Bennett Lt (temp Capt in Army 15Aug17) T R G, 19 Bn Lond R 15Aug17 Bennett Lt (temp Capt 12 Feb 18) R O G, M.C. Can Fd Art 12Feb18 Staff Lieutenant 1st Class Bennett, Temp Lt, J (temp) 22May18 Commandant (Class GG) Bennett, Lt (temp Capt 23 Mar 18) A, L’pool R, 23Mar18 Railway Traffic Officer Bennett, Lt R F, Aust Imp Force 28Jan18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 20 September , 2010 Author Share Posted 20 September , 2010 Thanks Mark He is "Class HH Bennett, Temp Lt. G 28Oct17" - ties in with other info on him I am about to see if he was in Middle East - probably difficult to cross check, but sometimes one can strike lucky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 20 September , 2010 Author Share Posted 20 September , 2010 OK, I have found that it was not my man. The Staff Capt in Cairo was TRG Bennett. As far as I can gather Hejaz and Hedgehog were the same thing. Lt Col TE Lawrence, 8 Aug 1918, forwarding text of Capt TRG Bennett, Staff Capt, Hejaz Operations, Cairo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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