Rank: Sergeant
Regimental Number: 858
Place of Birth: York Western Australia
Address: 11 William Street, Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Father, Samuel Sweeny
Enlistment Date: 14 September 1915
Unit Name: 44th Battalion, D Company
Age embarkation: 22
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Butcher
Rank: Sergeant
Regimental Number: 1204
Place of Birth: Fremantle, Western Australia
Address: 28 Alexander Road, East Fremantle
Next of Kin: Father, Phillip Bennett
Enlistment Date: 14 September 1914
Unit Name: 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital, Australian Army Medical Corps
Age embarkation: 19
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Grocer and clerk
CYRIL ARTHUR BENNETT (1895-1981)
Cyril Arthur Bennett was one of Western Australia’s most distinguished soldiers, serving in the Medical Corps. He is one of the few people to serve in both the First and Second World Wars.
He was born in Fremantle, on 25 September 1895 to Phillip Bennett and Lucy Hancock. His parents were born in Victoria, had married in Tasmania in 1891, and Cyril was one of ten children. (reference) Cyril attended Fremantle Boys’ School and, in 1909, was awarded Dux of the School, winning the Headmaster’s special prize. (reference). He worked as a clerk in the family’s grocery business, Bennett and Burnside, in Fremantle.(reference)
In 1914 Cyril enlisted in the Medical Corps, was assigned as a private to the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital (ASH), and departed Fremantle in December 1914. (reference) The 2nd ASH sailed to Egypt, quickly establishing medical facilities at Mena Camp, outside Cairo, to accommodate outbreaks of disease and infection. By April 1915 the unit had relocated to Lemnos Island to care for injured soldiers coming from the first weeks of the Gallipoli campaign. The horrendous outcome of heavy casualties at Gallipoli saw hospital ships engage in the critical evacuation of thousands of wounded from Gaba Tepe on the Peninsula to Malta and Alexandria (reference) (see photo of Pte Bennett in Egypt). In a sad twist of fate his brother Roy Bennett had joined the 10th Light Horse Regiment in 1915 and, later that year, died of wounds from the August assault on Hill 60, Gallipoli. (reference)
In 1916 Cyril was promoted to corporal. Cyril’s only daughter Sue Bennett-Ng, 64, recalled her father had a strong admiration for the Turks, calling them ‘honourable’, and also a disdain for Winston Churchill and his blunders in regards to the failed Gallipoli campaign. She recalls that despite his impressive military record, Cyril opposed conscription.
“During the First World War there was a referendum conducted and I remember dad saying all his mates at Gallipoli voted against it because none of them wanted young people sent to war against their will,” Mrs Bennett-Ng said. (reference)
In 1917 Cyril was promoted to sergeant and, in 1919, returned to Australia. He returned to the family business for a short time before moving to Melbourne for work. In 1925 Cyril married Sheila Lillian Harvey, after which they returned to WA and Cyril took up a position of Chief Steward for State Steamship Line. In 1928 their first son Phillip was born. Phillip followed in his father's military footsteps and was accepted into the Royal Military College Duntroon. (reference). Phillip eventually reached the rank of general and Chief of the Defence Force and, after retiring, went on to become Governor of Tasmania. A second son, Peter, followed in 1930. Peter also attended Duntroon, choosing to pursue a post war career with the RAAF as a navigator. (reference)
In 1929 Cyril was charged with driving under the influence. His defence lawyer argued that Cyril suffered from the effects of injuries received during the war, his gait being at times unsteady and, although he had had five drinks during the day, he was not under the influence at the time of the alleged offence. No further action was taken (reference).
In 1940, during WWII, Cyril re-enlisted, returning to the 2nd AIF’s Medical Corps at the rank of lieutenant, assigned to the 8th Casualty Clearing Station. One factor influencing his re-enlistment was that employment was scarce at the time and the Defence Forces ‘’guaranteed a job’’ (see private correspondence) and In 1941 Cyril was promoted to captain.
In 1946, on his return to Australia, Cyril discovered his wife Sheila had bought 28 Alexandra Road, East Fremantle, close to his mother at 27 Alexandra Road, in 1945. After the war he worked as an accounting officer with the Ordnance Depot in Midland.
He faced with a difficult situation when the Vietnam War began, Mrs Bennett-Ng explains:“…when he was quite an old man, my brother Phillip was leading the first task force into Vietnam while I was protesting on the streets in Perth as part of the moratorium,” she said. “He supported me in that, as well as Phillip, which must have been hard for him.”
Phillip was the first Australian casualty in Korea (wounded) Oct 1950. (reference)
Cyril died in 1981, aged 87.
We are grateful to the correspondence exchanged between Sue Bennett-Ng (Cyril’s daughter) and Anthony Lazzarich of 22 July 2019.
Research by Lloyd McClure and Anthony Lazzarich.
Family/military connections
BENNETT, Roy, Private, 10th Light Horse Regiment — Streets of East Freo
Rank: Sergeant
Regimental Number: 3756
Place of Birth: Perth, Western Australia
Address: 33 Moss Street, East Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Mother, Mrs Mary Bateman
Enlistment Date: 15 November 1915
Unit Name: 28th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 25
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Clerk
Date of Death: -
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Sergeant VERNON BATEMAN
Sergeant Vernon Bateman (3756), 30 years of age, was born at Fremantle and educated at Scotch College. He enlisted November, 1916, and sailed in February, 1917, with 9th Reinforcements of the 28th Battalion, later being transferred to the 51st Battalion. He served at Fromelles and Pozieres, etc., and in August he was temporarily put out of action with shell concussion. He returned home in May, 1919.
Australia’s Fighting Sons of the Empire
Family/military connections
BATEMAN, Herbert Pearson, Private, 28th Battalion — Streets of East Freo
BATEMAN, Horace William, Private, 28th Battalion — Streets of East Freo
Brothers; Lance-Corporal WILLIAM HORACE BATEMAN (left), Lieutenant HERBERT PEARSON BATEMAN (middle), Sergeant VERNON BATEMAN (right). Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire
33 Moss Street, East Fremantle.
Rank: Sergeant
Regimental Number: 3508
Place of Birth: Geraldton, Western Australia
Address: c/o G Whittle, 3 33a Preston Point Road(WW1), East Fremantle
Next of Kin: Wife, Mrs Blanche Jane Lester c/o G Whittle
Enlistment Date: 9 August 1915
Unit Name: 16th Battalion, 11th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 32
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Storeman
Date of Death: 12 April 1929
Place of Burial: Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia
Links: -
Rank: Sergeant
Regimental Number: 856
Place of Birth: Leichardt, New South Wales
Address: Holland Street, Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Mother, Mrs Harriett Luly, c/o E Kellyrew
Enlistment Date: 11 May 1915
Unit Name: 32nd Battalion, C Company
Age embarkation: 22
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Accountant
Date of Death: 11 November 1934
Place of Burial: Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia
Links: -
Rank: Sergeant
Regimental Number: 4307
Place of Birth: Melbourne, Victoria. (1895 29th December)
Address:
Next of Kin: Wife, Isabelle Clegg
Enlistment Date: 5 December 1914
Unit Name:
Age embarkation:
Marital Status: Married
Occupation:
Date of Death:
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Served in Royal Australian Navy on the 5th of December 1914 till 1st January 1920. (WWI)
Enlisted in the Australian Military Forces on the 12th of November 1940 till 30th August 1943. (WWII)
His First Wife was Isabelle May from his service record during WWI 1918. Married again with Wife Elvy Margaret Clegg based from his enlistment records during WWII.
Family/military connections
CLEGG, Percival James, Private, 28th Battalion — Streets of East Freo
CLEGG, Walter Henry, Private, 11th Battalion — Streets of East Freo
Rank: Sergeant
Regimental Number: 346
Place of Birth: Deal, England
Address: Woodside, York, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Foster Sister, Miss Fardell
Enlistment Date: 22 September 1914
Unit Name: 16th Battalion, A Company
Age embarkation: 35
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Clerk
Date of Death:
Place of Burial: -
Links: -
Rank: Sergeant
Regimental Number: 3696
Place of Birth: Fremantle Western Australia
Address: King Street, East Fremantle, Western Australia
Next of Kin: Mother, Mrs M E McCarthy
Enlistment Date: 7 October 1915
Unit Name: 11th Battalion, 12th Reinforcement
Age embarkation: 20
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Soldier
Date of Death:
Place of Burial:
Links:
Rank: Sergeant
Regimental Number: 1905
Place of Birth: Melbourne, Victoria
Address: 38 King Street(WW1: 76), East Fremantle
Next of Kin: Father, David Bathgate
Enlistment Date: 20 November 1914
Unit Name: 11th Battalion
Age embarkation: 27
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Moulder
Date of Death: -
Place of Death: -
Links:
Her second husband Archibald George Donald Bathgate (1888-1941, son of David Bathgate) worked as a ‘moulder/caster’. At age 27 he enlisted in 1914, serving with the 11th Australian Infantry Battalion, and embarked for Europe on the HMAS A20 Hororata on 26 April 1915 as a Private. He was slightly wounded during the Battle of Gallipoli in November 1915, sent to Malta (reference) to recover and returned in 1917 as a Sergeant. (reference)
On his return in 1918, Ida and Archibald married in Fremantle. They had a large family: Their children were; Ellen (b. 1919, dec), Archibald ‘Donald’ Charles (b. 1920, dec), Edith ‘Jean’ (b. 1923), Elsie Joan (b. 1926), Gwendoline (b. 1928), June Margaret (b. 1930 married William Hugh Godecke 1953); Grandchildren: Lynette Marie (b. 1956), Helen Margaret Godecke (b. 1955) and Amanda (b. 1964), and Douglas George (b. )
With the help of Archibald- Ida first practiced midwifery in 1919 from a room in her War Service Home at 46 Duke Street, East Fremantle (then no 12 after 1939- before being demolished). Archie worked as a warder at Fremantle Prison.
In 1920 Ida had her son Donald at her home (no 22) in Victoria Road (reference)- which changed to Staton Road in 1926.
From East Freo Notable and Notorious - Nurse Bathgate
1918 Birth on November 7, to Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Bathgate, 76 King-street, East Fremantle—a daughter (premature). Both well. (reference)
1919: Bathgate, Archibald G.
BATHGATE, Archibald George. Virtual War Memorial Australia: Courtesy of Faithe Jones
(CC BY-NC 3.0 AU)
