Name
Brian William Benfield
17 Dec 1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/07/1916
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
510
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
14th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 9 A 9 B and 10 B.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Chipping Barnet,
We are not aware of any memorial in Bells Hill
Pre War
Brian William was born on 17 Dec 1890 in Chipping Barnet, Herts to William Joseph Benfield, a clerk working in a foreign bank, and Elizabeth Maud (nee Taunton). They were living at Maize Lane, Chipping Barnet. In 1898 Colin Guy Benfield was born.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Hawthorne Cottage, Bells Hill, Arkley, Herts. By the 1911 Census Brian was a boarder at George Road, Gravelly Hill, Birmingham and working as a Test Engineer at the General Elecrtic Company.
Wartime Service
Brian enlisted as Private 501 in the 14th (Service) Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. This Battalion was raised in Sep 1914 by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham as a ‘Pals’ Battalion and named as 1st Birmingham City. Brian arrived in France with 95th Brigade 32nd Division on 21 Nov 1915. Shortly after (28 Dec 1915) the Battalion became part of 5 Division and transferred to the Somme area.
In July 1916 the 5th Division were positioned in the line between Longueval and High Wood. In the Attack on the Pommiers Redoubt on 22/23 July 1916 Brian was reported Missing and Presumed Dead. His negative Prisoner of War Request states he was in ‘A’ Company Machine Gun Section.
His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.
Biography
Son of William Joseph and Elizabeth Maud Benfield, of Hawthorne Cottage, Bells Hill, High Barnet, Herts. An Engineer of the General Electric Coy., Birmingham.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £8 10s and arrears of £7 18s 5d was paid to his father.
Brother Colin Guy Benfield served as a Lance Bombardier in Royal Garrison Artillery and survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
