No.19839, Private, Hugh Henry BENDALL
Aged 32
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Hugh Henry BENDALL was born in Bottisham on 16th March 1883 (Newmarket Q1-1883 3B:539), son of Joseph Shipp and Elizabeth BENDALL (née WATSON).
1891 census...Aged 8, he was at Town Street, Bottisham with his father Joseph BENDALL [44] shoemaker; his mother Elizabeth [46] born Thorp. Bucks; sisters Nora M [12] and Edith W [10]. All except his mother were born in Bottisham. His father died in 1895 1901 census...Aged 18, a printer/compositor, he was at 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge where his widowed mother was caretaker. He sailed on the SS "Tunisian" on 22nd February 1907 from Liverpool, bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia. 1911 census...He was at High River, McLeod County, Alberta. His mother and sister Edith Watson Bendall were at The Laundry, Quy At some time he appears to have married Eliza WOODSTOCK. Have declared he was single on enlistment, and the marriage appears to have been in Canada where he left on October 1914 and the CWGC have her as the late Mrs Eliza Bendall, lots of things seem to have happened very rapidly. Also there is no explanation so far of Mrs Christo Scholkowski, his declared next of kin living in Canada. |
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RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 637 - 8 - Item Number: 37466 He enlisted at Valcartier, Quebec on 24th August 1914, giving his place/date of birth as Bottisham on 16th March 1883. His next of kin was Mrs Christo Scholkowski of McNally P.O. Alberta. He was single, a printer, and had one years previous military service. Weighing 140 lbs (63.5 kg), 5 feet 6.75 inches (169.6 cm)tall chest 31.5 inches to 35.5 inches (80 to 90.2 cm), brown eyes and hair, Church of England. He joined initially in the 103rd Calgary Rifles but by September he was on the paylist of the 10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry. He sailed from Quebec on the SS "Scandinavian" on 4th October 1914. On 20th May 1915 he received gun shot wounds to head, face and shoulders and was taken to 6th London Field Ambulance, thence to No.10 Stationary Hospital at St. Omer, where he died of his wounds on 25th May. The Canadian Army had his last family address as mother - Mrs E.Bendall, Quy Laundry, Quy, Cambs Details of his previous military service have not been found, but was obviously the reason for his very rapid posting to France. First he would have been at Salisbury Plains until going to France on 11th February 1915,. The war diary has for 20th May:- All in fire trenches, old British trenches, were heavily shelled, especially the line facing from M3 to K1 in prolongation of WILLOW ROAD(near Festubert). 7:45 pm Battalion ordered to make an attack on the enemy redoubt at K5, this attack failed as no previous reconnaisance had been made. The bombardment preparing for this attack had been quite ineffectual and had not actually touched K5. The troops detailed for the attack were in open view of the enemy when crossing the gap near K2. The attack had been set for one hour before dusk. The only approach to K5 was through a narrow communication trench which was completely covered by the machine gun of the enemy. The leading men of the attacking force were all shot down. The O.C.(MAJOR P.C. GUTHRIE) considering any further attempt would only lead to unnecessary loss of life, discontinued the attack. During the night, further reconnaisance was carried out near K2. photo: Rodney Gibson click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
