Current Information:

Age-18

17, Airlie Gardens, Ilford

London Rifle Brigade Cemetery, Belgium

Throughout March 1915, the 5th London battalion, then part of 11 Brigade of 4th Division, were holding the line in and around Ploegsteert in Belgium, just across the border from Armentières in France, spending time in the trenches interspersed with periods in billets in reserve from where they could be called upon to provide working parties for various tasks. Frederick Bennett was mortally wounded on 12th March, 1915 while on sentry duty in the trenches in Plegsteert Wood. The sergeant of his platoon wrote to his parents, " Your son was in my platoon and was on sentry duty on the night of 11th-12th March. At about 1am a starlight was sent up by the enemy over his trench, dollowed immediately by a volley. Unfortunately one of the shots struck your son on the left side of his head, level with his left eye."