Pte 50025 Arthur Benstead

Arthur Benstead was born in the June quarter of 1898 at Cray Cottages, St Mary Cray, Kent to Swaffham Prior, Cambridgeshire born Metropolitan Police Constable Arthur James Benstead and his Swaffham Bulbeck born wife Flower (Flora) nee Butler. They married in Newmarket, Cambridgeshire in the September quarter of 1896 they had four sons and one daughter. Arthur was their first born. 

The 1901 Census shows the family at the same address at Cray Cottages. His father, Arthur J., is aged 26, a Metropolitan Police Constable who was born in Swaffham Prior, and his wife Flower aged 27 born in Swaffham Prior. They have  two children Arthur who is aged 2 also born in Swaffham Prior, and Amelia aged 1, born in Canning Town, London. 

The 1911 Census shows the family at their new address of 4 Yew Tree Cottages, Orpington, Kent. His father, Arthur James, is aged 36, a Metropolitan Police Constable, wife Flower aged 37 with no occupation listed. They have been married for married 14 years and have 4 children, Arthur 12 at school, Amelia 11 at school, Leonard aged 8who was born in St Mary Cray, and Albert 6 born Orpington. 

Another brother Thomas William was born on the 8th February 1913.

Arthur enlisted in Maidstone, Kent as Private 31679 of the East Surrey Regiment. He was eventually transferred into the 20th King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 50025 then subsequently transferred, after the disbandment of the 20th Battalion in February 1918, into the 19th Battalion. 

 

On 29th April 1918 at the Battle of Scherpenberg in Belgium  he is killed in action, aged 19.

The Battalion diary entry for the day gives an insight into the events of the day.  

29 April 1918 

A 3 a.m. the Enemy opened up a very heavy Bombardment of High explosive and Gas shells on our covering Artillery and at 6 a.m.. launched a powerful attack , smothering our outpost line, but failing to pierce the Battalion front, being repulsed with heavy loss. At 8 a.m. the Enemy again attacked but was repulsed. Many Casualties were caused to him during the day, as numbers of the enemy were picked off as they endeavoured to get back to their own lines. 

Casualties were Capt E B Hough Killed, 2nd Lt W. Munro Killed and 12 Other Ranks Killed, 

28 Wounded and 13 Other Ranks missing" 

The Weekly Casualty List of 11th February 1919 reported:

Previously reported missing, now reported KILLED

King's (Liverpool Regiment) Benstead A. 50025 (St Mary Cray); 

Arthur now rests at Voormezeele Cemetery Enclosure No.3 in Belgium. 

The Voormizeele Enclosures (at one time there were a total of four, but now reduced to three) were originally regimental groups of graves, begun very early in the First World War and gradually increased until the village and the cemeteries were captured by the Germans after very heavy fighting on 29 April 1918.

Voormezeele Enclosure No.3, the largest of these burial grounds, was begun by the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in February 1915. Their graves are in Plot III, the other Plots from I to IX are the work of other units, or pairs of units, and include a few graves of October 1918. Plots X and XII are of a more general character. Plots XIII to XVI were made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated sites and smaller cemeteries to replace the French graves (of April and September 1918) that were removed to a French cemetery. These concentrated graves cover the months from January 1915 to October 1918, and they include those of many men of the 15th Hampshires and other units who recaptured this ground early in September 1918.

There are now 1,611 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in Voormezeele Enclosure No.3. 609 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 15 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of five casualties whose graves in PHEASANT WOOD CEMETERY could not be found on concentration.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His Soldier's Effects of £16:17s:5d including a £7:10s War Gratuity are sent to his father Arthur James on 8th April 1919.

The Kent Messenger 10th May 1919:

Members of the Scouting Association who fell in the War:-

Orpington Local Association - A. Benstead 1st Orpington; 

CWGC: Son of Mr. A. and Mrs. F. Benstead, of "Homeleigh," Osgood Avenue, Farnborough, Kent. Native of St. Mary Cray, Kent. 

Arthur is also commemorated on the Memorial Window located in St Mary's Church, High Street, Swaffham Prior.

His parents appear on the 1939 register at "Homeleigh", Osgood Ave, Farnborough. Arthur James, dob 7th April 1874, retired policeman, Flower, dob 7th March 1874. 

His mother, Flower, died in March 1940 aged 66 and father, Arthur James, died in March 1950 aged 75.

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