Pte 91275 Charles Bennett

• Age: 20
• From: Birmingham
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• Died Monday 11th November 1918
• Commemorated at: Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
  Panel Ref: III.A.10

Charles was born in Aston, Birmingham, on 29^th October 1898 the son of Charles Bennett and his wife Emily Elizabeth (née Woodward). His father was born in Aldershot, and his mother in Aston.  According to the 1911 census, they had eight children, three of whom had died.  The only marriage found between Charles Bennett and Emily Woodward is in 1904. 

Those siblings found on censuses are older brother Thomas Henry, born in 1897, and younger siblings Kelly (per birth registration but found as Henrietta on censuses), born in 1900, Ellen Elizabeth 1901, William 1905, and Victoria May 1907. 

In 1901 his parents, with four children, are living at 10 Prospect Place, Holborn Hill, Aston.  His father, 29, is a  brass polisher, his mother is 25.  Thomas H. is 3, Charles 2, Henrietta 1, and Ellen E. 2 months old.  Also in the household are his grandparents Charles and Ellen Woodward. 

Baby Ellen Elizabeth died later that year.  

The 1911 census finds the family at 5B, 29 Wharf Street, Aston.  His father, 39, is a copper kettle polisher, and his mother is 35.  Thomas Henry is 13, Charles 12, Henrietta 11, William 5, and Victoria 3.  Also living with them is his uncle William Bennett, 45, chaff cutter. 

Another daughter, Florence Gladys, was born in 1913, the parents then living in Wainwright Street. 

Charles enlisted in Birmingham as Private 12108 in the Royal Army Medical Corps on 19^thApril 1915, giving his age as 18 years and 175 days (he was actually 17 and a half) and his occupation as town labourer. He is described as being 5’ 3 and a half inches tall, and weighing 110 lbs. He gives his birthplace as Nechells and his next of kin as his father, Charles Bennett, of 70 Wainwright Street, Aston, Birmingham.

He was discharged on 10^th May 1915, “having made a misstatement as to age on enlistment”.

His brother Thomas enlisted in the 5th Rifle Brigade, on 2nd September 1914, and also lied about his age, stating he was 19, when in fact he was only 17.  He was discharged three months later in December 1914 as not likely to become an efficient soldier, on medical grounds.

Charles later enlisted again in Birmingham as Private 23727, Worcestershire Regiment, and was subsequently transferred to the 19^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 91275. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he enlisted for the second time in about October 1915, perhaps when he turned 17 years old (but again having to lie about his age).

The International Red Cross holds a record of the capture, on 23^rd April 1916 at Ronpy, of Pte C. Bennett, C Coy, 19^th KLR, with the same birthdate, held in Tuchel Prisoner of War Camp (which held mostly Russian and Romanian prisoners, and is now in Poland). There is also mention of time in hospital in Hautmond (Hautmont?) Lazarette.

Charles was captured on 22^nd March 1918, at St. Quentin, and was held in Stendal Prisoner of War Camp. He was transferred at some point to the Prisoner of War camp in Czersk (then in Prussia, now in Poland), and died of pneumonia in the PoW Hospital at Czersk, on Armistice Day, 11th November 1918 aged 20.

He was later interred in Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, about 150 miles away. (This cemetery is also the burial place for the 50 Stalag Luft III POWs who were captured and murdered by the Gestapo after “the Great Escape".)

After the First World War, the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died in Poland as prisoners of war were gathered together in this cemetery. There are now 174 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. One of the burials is unidentified. Special memorials commemorate one casualty known to have been buried in Czersk Prisoners of War Cemetery, 29 known to have been buried at Szczypiorno Prisoners of War Cemetery and 18 known to have been buried at Pila (formerly Schneidemuhl) Prisoners of War Cemetery, all of whose graves could not be identified. The majority of the 283 Second World War burials in the cemetery are those of airmen, many of whom died in bombing operations on Stettin (now Szeczin). Also buried here are those involved in the mass escape from Stalag Luft 3, Sagan (now Zagan), in March 1944, and others who died while prisoners of war during the German occupation, at Stalag VIIIC, Sagan, Stalag XXID at Poznan, Oflag XXIB (also known as Oflag 64) and Stalag XXIB, both at Schubin (now Szubin). There are also 19 war graves of other nationalities in the cemetery, most of them Polish. The cemetery also contains the POZNAN MEMORIAL commemorating five RNAS armoured car ratings who died near Brezazany in July 1917 and whose graves were never located.

It wasn’t until 05^th November 1918 that Charles’ name appeared in the Weekly Casualty List as previously reported Missing, now reported Prisoner of War. 

His Army effects of £41-16s-8d were disbursed to his father on 13/8/1919, but there is no confirmation that the War Gratuity of £17-10s was paid. 

The pension card in the name of his mother Emily Elizabeth Bennett, 70 Wainwright Street, Aston, and later Weston Lodging House (a women’s lodging house), New Canal Street, Birmingham, shows that she was awarded a pension of 5/- a week from September 1919. 

His father died in 1921. 

As his father had died, Mr. T.H. Bennett, of 70 Wainwright St, Aston, Birmingham took responsibility for Charles’ gravestone.

His brother (Thomas) Henry later had a son he named after Charles.

In 1939 his mother is found at another women’s lodging house at 26 Fazeley Street, Birmingham, age 63, “receiving widow’s pension”.   She appears to have died in 1940, aged 65. 

Sadly, Charles has not been found on any memorials.

We currently have no further information on Charles Bennett, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.