Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Gerald Bentley, 6 Bn Leicestershire Regiment


Daveleic

Recommended Posts

I would be grateful for any help in finding out more, if possible, about 16762 Gerald Bentley, who was killed on 26 March 1918 when he was a CQMS in the 6 Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment. He is buried in Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension. It seems likely that he was killed during the shelling mentioned in the battalion war diary.
 

He was born in 1897 in Thurmaston, Leicestershire, but lived in the Belgrave area of Leicester by the time of the 1911 Census.

 

Does his rank indicate that he had served for a while by the time he was killed?

Edited by Daveleic
Deleted incorrect date
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you tell us what you aready know

 

Do you have for example

Pension Card entries

Soldiers Effects

Medal Roll entries

SDGW

CWGC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 15/06/2021 at 17:49, Daveleic said:

I would be grateful for any help in finding out more, if possible, about 16762 Gerald Bentley, who was killed on 26 March 1918 when he was a CQMS in the 6 Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment. He is buried in Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension. It seems likely that he was killed during the shelling mentioned in the battalion war diary.
 

He was born in 1897 in Thurmaston, Leicestershire, but lived in the Belgrave area of Leicester by the time of the 1911 Census.

 

Does his rank indicate that he had served for a while by the time he was killed?

The war gratuity was £19 10s
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60506/images/42511_6129999_0127-00121?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=2a2d65cf213f5750d35a90e0dd02f29b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=EbW15&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=264410

 

This tells is that

image.png.6222da014e7e1759e1da60081df7a7b6.png

 


https://www.wargratuity.uk/war-gratuity-calculator/

 

Craig

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Admin

Pte 16762 Gerald Bentley enlisted in the 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, as per Craig's calculation from December 1914, as shown on the LLT this Battalion was part of K3 or to put it another way one of the last of the Service or 'New Army' Battalions of the Leicestershire Regiment to be raised in Leicester and made up to establishment.  As the age for recruitment to the New Army was nineteen, it appears he was under age when he joined up. Interestingly, there is a service record for 16768 Lycett who attempted to enlist in the 6th Battalion (10330) but was discharged on the 24 August for defective vision, but re-applied and was accepted into the 9th on the 14 January 1915.  16763 shows enlistment 11 January, so we're looking at him joining up in the first week or two of January.  On the 10th January the Leicester and Leicestershire Recruiting Committee arranged  large parade which ended in Victoria Park, the highlight was two German Machine Guns captured by the 2nd Battalion.  It seems likely he was inspired by this widely reported event.

 

The 14-15 Star Roll shows he entered theatre on the 29th July 1915 with the main body of the Battalion which was part of 110th Brigade, 37th Division.

 

On the 2nd September, by now appointed Lance Corporal  he was admitted to No 4 Stationary Hospital suffering from scabies, it appears there was an epidemic of this disease in the 9th Battalion with a relatively large number of admissions. (FMP)  It is not clear as to the disposal of his case but most were sent back to the Base (Depot).

 

It seems likely he continued to serve with the 9th Battalion until it was disbanded following the re-organisation of the BEF in February 1918. The war diary for the 9th Battalion shows that on 10th February 1918, '3 Officers and 60 other ranks paraded at 9 a.m. and proceeded to join the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment at Haut Allains by march (rate?), escorted by band.'   Other men  were dispersed mainly across other Battalions of the Leicestershire Regiment within the Brigade.

 

His body was recovered and concentrated at Ribemont. He was found at 62d.D.30.C.7.2., presumably near where he fell, together with another soldier from the Leicestershire Regiment and two 'unknowns'

Map here https://maps.nls.uk/view/101465320

There is also a reference in the concentration report to 9th Bn and 14 IBD presumably this was an identity disc, or other form of identification which had not been updated.

 

The BWM and VM rolls show the 6th and 9th.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many thanks for finding this information for me, I’ll follow it up.

I did not know of the existence of Gerald Bentley until yesterday, when I found the grave plot in Thurmaston cemetery of my great great grandmother Eliza, which has a single gravestone on it, of William Bentley and family, and commemorating his son Gerald too. William was one of Eliza’s sons, and so Gerald was another of my grandfather’s cousins to be killed in the war. (All I’d found was from the CWGC website, 1911 Census and the 6 Bn war diary.)

 

It is interesting to see that he joined up so early in the war, given his age. I wonder if he was possibly encouraged to join by his father, who had enlisted in the Leicestershire Regiment in 1878 when 17.

 

 

Edited by Daveleic
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...