| Regimental number | 2569 |
| Place of birth | Melbourne, Victoria |
| School | State School, Brighton, Victoria |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Carpenter |
| Address | Blanch Street, Brighton, Victoria |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 19 |
| Height | 5' 5.5" |
| Weight | 154 lbs |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs Alice Benton, Blanch Street, Brighton, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Served in the 46th (Brighton) Senior Cadets (2 years); 7th Field Company, Australian Engineers (12 months; still serving at time of AIF enlistment). |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 24th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/41/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 59th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fromelles, France |
| Date of death | |
| Age at death | 18 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner, Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 167 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: William and Alice BENTON |
| Family/military connections | Brother: 5659 Pte Victor BENTON, 5th Bn, returned to Australia, 12 May 1919. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Taken on strength of 60th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 23 February 1916. Transferred to 59th Bn, 15 March 1916; taken on strength of 59th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 15 March 1916. Admitted to No 15 Field Ambulance, Ferry Post, 28 March 1916, and transferred to No 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station, the same day (pyrexia); admitted to No 2 Australian Stationary Hospital, Ferry Post, 28 March 1916 (not yet diagnosed); to No 4 Hospital Train, 30 March 1916; to No 3 Australian General Hospital, Abbassia, 30 March 1916 (pyrexia of unknown origin); to No 3 Auxiliary Hospital, Heliopolis, 5 April 1916 (influenza); discharged to duty, 13 April 1916; rejoined 59th Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 20 April 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Posted missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Note on B.103, 'Presumed buried in No Man's Land approx at 5J9043 to 5K0251 Sheet Hazebrouck'. Statement, Red Cross File No 350902, 1679 Pte W. COSTELLO, 59th Bn (patient, 2nd London General Hospital, Chelsea, England), 6 February 1917; 'On the evening of 19th July about 7 o'clock (it was not dark) at Fromelles, we attacked. There was a canal running along the hollow with deep holes in it. The machine gun fire was very intense: Many (sic) were wounded and drowned and Benton was amongst the number.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, BENTON Albert
Red Cross file 350902 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
