BENNETT, John

Jack Bennett was the son of William and Susannah Bennett of Mill House, Holbeach and later of 11 Victoria Street, Wall Heath. He attended the Church of the Ascension school at Wall Heath and was an early volunteer in August 1914 for Kitchener’s Army. He went to the Worcestershire Regiment and to the 9th (Service) Battalion and after training at Blackdown Camp and on Salisbury Plain they went to Gallipoli. The original landings in April had met stronger resistance from the Turks than expected and reinforcements were needed. They were at Mudros by the 10th July and experienced the fighting conditions near Helles. They landed at Suvla Bay on the 6th August without serious problems but were unable to reach the dominating ridge in attacks starting on the 9th. Heavy casualties were taken in the heat and rock-strewn terrain. The Worcesters suffered 260 casualties and Lance Corporal Jack Bennett was among those killed in action on the 10th. He is commemorated on the Helles, Himley, Kingswinford and Wall Heath Memorials.