Sapper John William Bennett Royal Engineers

Royal Engineers WW1 (George V)

John William Bennett, Pioneer No. 129020 of "P" Special Coy., Royal Engineers died on
Wednesday 4th July 1917. Age 19.

He was the son of William & Hannah Bennett of Burton Lane, Great Glen. In 1901 William was a 39 yr old coal carter living in Burton Lane with his wife, Hannah and their 5 children Alice (11), Ernest (9), Ned (7), Ada (6) and the youngest John William aged 3. The whole family was born in Great Glen.

John enlisted in Leicester into the 2nd (Regular) Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment (No. 22838) but was later transferred into the Royal Engineers into one of their special ‘P’ companies. These companies were formed with the specific intention of combatting gas warfare.

John Bennett's Grave

John is buried in grave reference I.N.3 in Essex Farm War Cemetery in Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. To find directions to the cemetery please click on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission link.

View over John's Grave

General View of Essex Farm

John was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.