Year of birth: 1883

Place of birth: Willington, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom

Last known residence: King Street, Hodthorpe, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom

Profession: Manager Kruidenierswinkel - Grocery Shop Manager

Religion: Church of England

Country: England, United Kingdom

Force: British Expeditionary Force

Rank: Private

Service number: 27830

Enlistment place: Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom

Units:  —  Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), 16th Bn. (Chatsworth Rifles)  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 20/09/1917

Place of death: Bulgar Wood, Zandvoordebos, Belgium

Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Age: 34

British War Medal Medal

Victory Medal Medal

George Bennett was the son of John and Elizabeth Bennett. He was born around 1883 in Willington, Derbyshire, UK. George married Sarah and together they had two children. He lived in Hopthorpe and worked as a grocery shop manager. He enlisted in the British Army in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire and belonged to the 16th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) (117th Brigade, 39th Division).

George was killed on 20 September 1917 at the Battle of the Menin Road, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. On 18 September, the 16th Battalion Sherwood Foresters moved towards Shrewsbury Forest. On 20 September, they attack the German lines there. While taking up positions, there are already some casualties from shelling. Some 20 casualties from artillery shelling also occur shortly after the attack starts. To avoid further losses, the troops move forward, mixing with the 17th Battalion. They managed to consolidate the first objective just before Bulgar Wood. As they advanced through the wood, they were shelled, but the fog kept casualties to a minimum. Also while crossing Bulgar Wood, the battalion encountered quite a few German positions, including at Welbeck Grange and North Farm. They managed to eliminate these and consolidate a line just beyond Bulgar Wood, the second objective. Counterattacks were dispersed.

During the attack, George Bennett was killed. His body was not found or identified. His name is commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial (panel 100).

16 Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2587/1_2). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

British Army World War I Service Medal and Awards Rolls, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 329). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG12). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG13). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: the Day-by-Day Account. (Londen: Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018), 76-77. Sources used

Soldier's Effects Records (National Army Museum, Chelsea (NAM) 1901-60; NAM Accession Number: 1991-02-333). http://https.//www.nam.ac.uk/ Sources used

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/844726

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/301076

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=3b6af0ea-01c0-489e-ab7e-80da98ea270d