| Regimental number | 2006 |
| Place of birth | Belfast, Co Antrim, Ireland |
| School | Public School, Belfast, Ireland |
| Age on arrival in Australia | 19 |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Labourer |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 27 |
| Height | 5' 4" |
| Weight | 152 lbs |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs Annie Benson, 50 McCleary Street, Belfast, Co Antrim, Ireland |
| Previous military service | Served for a short time in the Royal Navy. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Hobart, Tasmania |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 12th Battalion, 5th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/29/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A20 Hororata on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 12th Battalion |
| Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Enlisted 13 February 1915. Taken on strength, 12th Battalion, 16 June 1915. Transferred to 51st Battalion, 16 October 1916. Returned to 12th Battalion, 2 December 1916. |
| Miscellaneous details (Nominal Roll) | Name does not appear on Nominal Roll. |
| Place of death or wounding | France |
| Date of death | |
| Age at death | 31 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 31 |
| Place of burial | Etaples Military Cemetery (Plot XII, Row D, Grave No. 9), France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 65 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Michael and Annie BENNON. Native of Belfast, Ireland |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front Taken on strength, 12th Bn, Gallipoli, 16 August 1915. Admitted to 2nd Field Ambulance, 26 August 1915 (debility); transferred same day to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station; by Hospital Ship to Mudros, 26 August 1915; by Hospital Ship to Malta, and admitted to St George's Hospital, 1 September 1915. Transferred by Hospital Ship 'Brasile' to England, 2 October 1915, and admitted to 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, 10 October 1915. Joined 27th Draft ex Weymouth to rejoin the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, 25 March 1916; taken on strength, Overseas Base, Tel el Kebir, 29 April 1916. Admitted to No 2 Stationary Hospital, 28 April 1916 (discharging sore on right breast); diagnosed as syphilis, 2 May 1916; transferred to Hospital Train, 3 May 1916, and admitted to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, Abbassia, 3 May 1916; discharged from hospital, 14 June 1916. Proceeded from Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 29 July 1916; taken on strength, 51st Bn, in the field, 16 October 1916. Transferred to 12th Bn, 29 November 1916; taken on strength, 12th Bn, in the field, 2 December 1916. Admitted to 5th Australian Field Ambulance, 28 December 1916 (not yet diagnosed); transferred same day to 38th Casualty Clearing Station (chancre); to No 1 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, 30 December 1916; to 51st General Hospital, Etaples, 2 January 1917; discharged 18 January 1917; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 22 days. Taken on strength, 1st Australian Division Base Depot, 18 January 1917. Admitted to 26th General Hospital, 19 February 1917 (pyorrhea); transferred to 51st General Hospital, 21 February 1917; period of treatment for veneral disease: 40 days (terminated with death). Died of disease (broncho-pneumonia), 51st General Hospital, Etaples, 1 April 1917. Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal British War Medal and Victory Medal stamps marked 'Returned unclaimed, 26 August 1925'. Mother wrote to Base Records from Brooklyn, New York, USA, 29 November 1920, on being asked if she had received the 1914-15 Star dispatched earlier: 'My son had some mony (sic) in the Soldiers Savings Bank & instead of them sending me the intrest (sic) of it the (sic) kept it over there I guess it was in London the paid themselves very well out of my poor boy Blood money the (sic) did not give much to his Poor mother I never will forget the way the (sic) treated me. My Poor boy was wounded eight times he was home in Belfast Ireland with neighbours of ours & he had not a cent with him after coming out of hospital in London if he had written to me in time I could have managed to get him over here but he did not write till after he joined then I wrote him & he never received my letters only through my friend home I got the news of his death & it was a sad schock (sic) to me he was my only his father was a Soldier & served in the Boer war & died after he came home so then I had no body I came to America over eleven years ago. My boy's death has prayed (sic) on my mind ever since. I never will forget it so if you be so kind as to send me the [1914-15] Star I will be forever obliged to you.' |
| Miscellaneous details | Real name: Edward BANNON |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, BENSON Edward |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
