Noel BENNETT

'The Kendal Mercury' (26 November 1915)

(Kindly supplied by Sedbergh & District History Society)

A SEDBERGH HERO - SNIPED WHILST RESCUING A WOUNDED COMRADE

Much sympathy is being expressed in the Sedbergh district with Mr. W.E. Bennett, stationmaster at Sedbergh, and Mrs. Bennett, in the great bereavement they have sustained by the death of their only son, Lce.- Corpl. Noel Bennett, of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, which occurred on the 19th inst. The melancholy intelligence reached them on Wednesday morning in a letter from Corpl. H.L. Mason, stating that the unfortunate young soldier had been killed on the 19th inst., when he had gone out of his trench to fetch in a wounded man. He was shot through the head by a German sniper and died instantaneously. He was 19 years of age.

'The Westmorland Gazette' (27 November 1915)

(Kindly supplied by Sedbergh & District History Society)

ROLL OF HONOUR - LANCE-CORPL. BENNETT, SEDBERGH

Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Bennett, of Sedbergh Station, received a letter on Wednesday morning from Corpl. H.L. Mason, conveying to them the sad intelligence that their only son, Lance-Corpl. Noel Bennett, of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, has been killed in France on the 19th inst. He had left a trench to bring in a wounded man when he was shot through the head by a sniper and killed instantaneously. The deceased soldier was only 19 years of age, and his death is greatly regretted. This is the first fatality among the Sedbergh men who are on active service. Much sympathy is felt with the bereaved father, mother and sister.

'The Kendal Mercury' (3 December 1915)

(Kindly supplied by Sedbergh & District History Society)

SEDBERGH - THE LATE CORPL. BENNETT

On Wednesday at St. Andrew's Church there was a large congregation at the memorial service to those who had fallen in the war, with special reference to L.-Corpl. Bennett who was killed in France on the 19th November. The Vicar, Rev. J.M. Cadman, took the major portion of the service, and the lesson was read by Rev. H.F. Donaldson, Selby. The special hymns were 'Fight the good fight,' and 'On the Resurrection Morning.' The Vicar said Corporal Bennett was the first of their men whom they knew to have fallen. Speaking from Jeremiah i., 17, "There is hope in thine end saith the Lord," the Vicar said they were tempted to deny this in these times of national sorrow when, filled with a sense of loss and desolation, they grieved over the shutting off of a bright young life, full of promise, brave, cheerful, willing, thoughtful for others, who had endeared himself to his comrades and won the respect of his officers. The qualities which he had showed there as a Boy Scout had developed in degree. Without Christianity they could not go further, and could derive no comfort, but Christianity had brought life and immortality, therefore they were able "to pluck the rose of hope from the nettle of despair," because it was not the end. They hoped for the fuller development in a brighter sphere and that life would unfold itself in the higher activities of service beyond, and did not lose its influence here. The devotion to duty and the self sacrifice of the dead was a type and reflection of the great self-sacrifice. Therefore they must not sorrow as those who had no hope. A life of full service, however brief, crowned by a death of willing sacrifice, was one which they might envy.

'The Westmorland Gazette' (4 December 1915)

(Kindly supplied by Sedbergh & District History Society)

A SEDBERGH SOLDIER'S DEATH: MEMORIAL SERVICE

Sorrow for the untimely, but heroic, death of Lance-Corpl. Bennett, of the West Riding Regiment, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett of Sedbergh Station, and respect for his bereaved parents and sister, were manifested at the memorial service in the Sedbergh Parish Church on Wednesday afternoon. As already reported, Lance-Corpl. Bennett was shot through the head by a German sniper on the 19th ult., while endeavouring to rescue a wounded comrade and carry him into the trench. The service was largely attended, almost every part of the valley being well represented. The ordinary burial service was used, and the hymns 'Fight the good fight' and 'On the resurrection morning' were sung, Mr. A.E. Thorne being at the organ. The officiating clergy were the Revs. J. Montague Cadman and H.F.D. Selby. There was a full detachment of Boy Scouts present, and the church flag hung at half-mast. The Rev. J.M. Cadman, vicar, said Lance-Corpl. Bennett was the first of their men whom they knew to have fallen. They grieved over the shutting off of a bright young life, full of promise, brave, cheerful, willing, thoughtful for others, who had endeared himself to his comrades and won the respect of his officers. The qualities which he had showed there as a Boy Scout had developed in degree. The devotion to duty and the self-sacrifice of the dead was a type and self-reflection of the great Self-sacrifice. Therefore they must not sorrow as those who had no hope. A life of full service, however brief, crowned by a death of willing sacrifice, was one which they might envy. At the end of an impressive service, the organist played the 'Dead March in Saul,' the congregation standing.

THE TESTIMONY OF COMRADES

Second-Lieut. Harris, A Co. of the 10th Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regt., writing from the trenches to Mrs. Bennett on the 20th November, says: "It is with the deepest regret that I have to tell you of your son Noel's death. It was yesterday morning that it happened. There was one of our men [Private John Cardwell] out sniping in front of our lines, when the other man out with him returned to tell us he had been hit. When your son heard this, he was out after him, but as where the man lying wounded was in a very exposed position, they saw him, and, poor chap, he was hit through the head, and death was instantaneous. Words of mine are inadequate to you in your terrible loss, but he died like a man and a soldier, trying to rescue a wounded comrade. Your son had been in my platoon ever since he joined the battalion. He was always a good worker and always of good cheer. In him I have lost one of my best men. I shall always remember him as a fearless lad. He was always one of the first to come forward on any work that was at all risky. I myself used always to want him, because he could be relied on. He was most popular with everybody. The chaplain will write and tell you where he is laid to rest. May I take this opportunity of conveying to you, his parents, my deepest sympathy and condolences." Another letter from a comrade tells how Lance-Corpl. Bennett was buried, he and Capt. [Corpl.] H.L. Mason, another Sedbergh man, being present. A cross has been put on his grave, also his name Noel in small pieces of red brick. He lies next to the man he tried to save. The writer says that less deeds than Noel Bennett's have been awarded the V.C.-From the chaplain, 21st November, 1915: The Rev. W.L. Henderson, chaplain 69th Field Ambulance, in the course of his letter, says:-Noel Bennett was buried in a little cemetery immediately behind the trenches. A small cross will be put up to the memory of him and the soldier who lies beside him, and the ground for ever kept sacred. The cemetery is in Northern France near the town of Chapelle d'Armentières. Both officers and men joined with him in expressing their deep sympathy. The chaplain goes on to tell Mr. and Mrs. Bennett that their son will be greatly missed by all, but that in their sorrow it will be some comfort to them to know that he died so nobly and that their sorrow is shared by others.-Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have also had letters from Private J. Tuddenham, A Co., 10th W.R. Regt., and also from Corpl. H.L. Mason, of Sedbergh, who expresses his sympathy and then describes how his friend met his death. "He was a good soldier and a good pal, always bright and cheerful even under the most trying conditions. I shall miss him greatly because we have been pals ever since I joined A Company."-Preaching at the Vale of Lune Chapel on Sunday afternoon, the Rev. H.F.D. Selby said Noel Bennett had fought the good fight and won the eternal crown. All hearts in the parish would go out to his sorrowing parents and sister.

'The Westmorland Gazette' (15 November 1919)

(Kindly supplied by Sedbergh & District History Society)

IN MEMORIAM

BENNETT - In loving memory of Noel Bennett, of Sedbergh, killed in action in France, November 19th, 1915.

DE RUVIGNY'S ROLL OF HONOUR 1914-1918 - Part Two

BENNETT, NOEL, L.-Corpl., 10th (Service) Battn. The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regt.), only s. of Walter Everard Bennett, Station Master at Sedbergh, by his wife, Mary Elizabeth, dau. of Joseph Hodgson; b. Clifton and Lowther Station, near Penrith, co. Cumberland, 5 Aug. 1896; educ. National School Sedbergh; was a railway clerk at Carnforth; volunteered and enlisted in Jan. 1915: went to the front in France 23 Aug., and was killed by a German sniper, near Armentières, 19 Nov. following, while attempting to rescue a wounded comrade who was lying between the lines at Chapelle d'Armentières. His platoon officer wrote: "One of our men was out sniping in front of our lines, when the other with him returned to say that he had been hit. Corpl. Bennett heard this and was out after him at once, and saw him lying in a very exposed position; Bennett was then shot through the head, death being instantaneous. . . . Your son had been in my platoon ever since he joined my battalion. He was always a good worker and always of good cheer; in him I have lost one of my best men, and shall always remember him as a fearless lad. He was always the first to come forward for any dangerous work, and I myself used always to want him because he could be relied upon. He was most popular with everybody." The Sergt. of his company: "Less brave deeds than his have been awarded the Victoria Cross." Unm.