No.12557, Private Percy BENSTEAD
Aged 20
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Percy Benstead was born in Swaffham Prior (Newmarket Q1-1897 3B:535) , baptised St Mary's Swaffham Prior on 7th February 1897, son of Sidney and Mary Kate BENSTEAD (née GALLEY).
1901 census...Aged 4, he was at High Street, Swaffham Prior with his father Sidney BENSTEAD [25] horsekeeper; his mother Mary [23] born Aldershot, sister Nora [2] and brother Sidney W [6 months]. All except his mother were born in Swaffham Prior. 1911 census...Aged 14, a farm labourer he was at High Street, Swaffham Prior with his uncle Ernest James BENSTEAD [24] single, horsekeeper born Swaffham Prior and brothers Sidney William and Robert Ernest [5] born Swaffham Prior. His widower father was at High Street, Swaffham Prior with his sister Emily Nora, brother Cecil Sidney [7], sister Alice Rose [3] and brother Ivan Christopher [1], the new siblings all being born in Swaffham Prior. His mother died in 1911. His father was at the same address on the pension card. |
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He enlisted in Cambridge.
The 2nd Battalion, Suffolks was in it's assembly area on the night of 1st March near Bedford House on the St.Eloi-Ypres road. They were to try and retake our trenches recently lost to the Germans The attack started at 0445 'B', 'C' and 'D' companies on the south side of the Bluff. Immediately star shells were sent up by the Germans turning night into day. Our artillery then opened up on their 2nd line, our troops already being through the first line, having taken the enemy by surprise. 'A' company on the left was not so lucky, being caught by a counter barrage before they could leave King Street. By 0700 the lost trenches had been re captured. The ground was in a terrible state, churned up by the barrages and the battalion left the line sparsely occupied while they returned to the assembly trenches. An enemy barrage continued all day, but our artillery countered effectively. A successful operation result in the recapture of all the ground previously lost, but at the cost of 250 casualties out of the 500 employed. It was, incidentally, the first operation when they wore the newly issued steel helmets (the tin hats) CWGC records 53 killed, and only 6 having an identified grave. The Cambridge Independent Press reported on 12th May 1916:- Swaffham Prior Man Missing- Pte Percy Benstead, Suffolks, eldest son of Mr. Sidney Benstead, Swaffham Prior, is officially reported missing since March 2nd. Pte Benstead was working for Mr. Newton, of Swaffham Prior when war broke out, and was one of the first to enlist from that village. He went to the front early last year, and on October 3rd he was wounded, bt was not sent home, being successfully treated in hospital abroad. During a subsequent spell in the trenches he was buried by a shell explosion, and his ribs and back were injured, but again returned to the firing line after hospital treatment. He was to have come home recently on leave, but before he got away the regiment was ordered back for trench duty and a few days afterwards he was reported missing. Pte Benstead was only 19 last Christmas
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
