BENNETT, JAMES, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 7936), 292894, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

LEIGH-BENNETT, ARTHUR, D.S.O., M.C., Capt., 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, yr. surviving s. of the late Henry Currie Leigh-Bennett, of Thorpe Place, co. Surrey, M.P. for the Chertsey Division; b. Thorpe Place, 25 Nov. 1885; educ. at Winchester and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. Coldstream Guards, 28 Jan. 1905, and promoted Lieut. 22 Jan. 1907, and Tempy. Capt. 15 Nov. 1914, being continued in the latter rank, 1 Jan. 1915; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from Aug. 1914, to 3 Oct. 1915; was wounded in Nov., and again in May; was twice mentioned in Despatches by F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French (18 Feb. and 11 March, 1915); received the Military Cross for services at the Battle of the Aisne; was awarded the D.S.O. “for conspicuous gallantry, at Cuinchy, on 1 Feb. 1915. Leading his men with great ability against the enemy, he stopped their advance, and eventually captured their position,” and was killed on the morning of 3 Oct. 1915, when inspecting with his Colonel and other officers some trenches which the Coldstream Guards were taking over that night. Capt. Leigh-Bennett was a member of the Coldstream Guards polo team, and played both cricket and golf for the 2nd Battn. He was unm.

BENNETT, THOMAS HENRY, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 12083, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

BENNETT, VICTOR ERNEST EDWARD, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch. 18396, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

BENNETT, WILLIAM HENRY HESP, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 1192), 194125, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

BENNION, REGINALD WALLEY, Third Writer, M. 7687, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

BENSON, HUGH CECIL, Lieut., 9th Battn. The Rifle Brigade, elder s. of Cecil Benson, of 35, Bedford Square, W.C., by his wife, Constance, dau. of George Bernard O’Neill; b. at 16, Young Street, Kensington Square, W., 3 July, 1883; was educ. at Eton, and afterwards became an Architect. On the declaration of war he volunteered for Imperial Service, and was given a commission in the Rifle Brigade, 30 Dec. 1914. He went to the Western Front with his regt., 20 May, 1915, and was killed in action at Hooge, near Ypres, 22 June following; unm.

BENSON, JOHN PENRICE, Capt., 1st Battn. East Surrey Regt., eldest s. of William Denman Benson, of 10, William Street, Knightsbridge, County Court Judge, LL.D., J.P., by his wife, Jane, dau. of Thomas Penrice, D.L., and nephew of Lieut.-Col. R. E. Benson, who died of wounds, 27 Sept. 1914 (see following notice); b. Kilvrough, co. Glamorgan, 1 Oct. 1877; educ. Charterhouse and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 16 Feb. 1898, and promoted Lieut. 24 Feb. 1900, and Capt. 8 Oct. 1904; served in the South African War, 1899–1902; took part in the relief of Ladysmith, including action at Colenso; operations of 17 to 24 Jan. 1900, and action at Spion Kop; operations of 5 to 7 Feb. 1900, and action at Vaal Kranz, and operations on Tugela Heights (wounded 23 Feb. 1900); operations in Natal, March to June, 1900, including action at Laings Nek; operations in the Transvaal, 30 Nov. to 31 May, 1902, including those in the Orange River Colony in May, 1901 (Queen’s medal with five clasps and King’s medal with two clasps); afterwards going to India with his regt. He was Adjutant of his Battn., 10 Sept. 1902, to 31 May, 1905. and of Militia and Special Reserve Battn., 15 April, 1907, to Feb. 1913, when he went on half-pay. On the declaration of war, 4 Aug. 1914, he immediately rejoined, was given his company, and went to France on 12 Aug. He proceeded with his regt. to La Cateau, and then to the defence of the Condé Canal, where he was shot through the lower part of the body by a machine gun on the 25th, and died in the Convent School at Boussu, Belgium, the following day, 26 Aug. 1914. He was buried in the Convent School grounds. He m. at St. Stephen’s, Gloucester Road, S.W., Laura Annette, 2nd dau. of Major-Gen. Francis Goring Rideout, and had issue a son and dau.: William Frank Montague, b. 7 Oct. 1907, and Jane Penrice, b. 2 Jan. 1915.

BENSON, RICHARD ERLE, Lieut-Col., 1st Battn. East Yorkshire Regt., 4th s. of the late General Henry Roxby Benson, C.B., 17th Lancers (who served through the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny), by his wife, Mary Henrietta (Fairy Hill, Reynoldston Gower, co. Glamorgan), dau. of the late Hon. Mr. Justice William Wightman; b. London, 4 Oct. 1862; educ. Eton, and for some time served with the East Surrey Militia. He was gazetted Lieut. to the East Yorkshires (the old 15th), 14 May, 1884, and was promoted Capt. 5 Aug. 1891; Major, 15 Aug. 1903; and Lieut.-Col. 15 Aug. 1911. From July, 1889–May, 1890, he was employed with the Bechuanaland Police Force, and in the South African War served as Adjutant to the 4th Battn. of the East Surreys in 1902. He took part in the operations in Cape Colony, April and May that year, and received the King’s medal. On the outbreak of the European war Col. Benson went to the Front with his regt. as part of the Expeditionary Force. The East Yorkshires reached the Aisne on 19 Sept. and the same afternoon were ordered to relieve the Sussex Regt. in trenches which were being continually shelled. The following day the .... Brigade was ordered to advance against the German positions. The attack was made against a terrific cross-fire of machine guns and shrapnel, as well as a storm of rifle bullet attacks. Col. Benson led the attack with the utmost gallantry, and had, as one of his men afterwards stated, got within 50 yards of the German trenches, when he was shot down. The fighting continued fiercely for nearly an hour, but in spite of the most determined attempts to come to grips with the enemy, the latter could not be dislodged, and the battn. had eventually to retire to its trenches. Col. Benson died of his wounds in St. Nazaire Base Hospital 27 Sept. 1914. His body was brought home and buried in the family vault at Reynoldston, Gower. He m. in London, 1905, Janet Florence, dau. of William Armour, and had three children: John, b. 1904; Marguerita and Mary. Two of his brothers saw service—Col. S. M. Benson, late 17th Lancers, and Major H. W. Benson, D.S.O., now (1916) commanding officer of the Swansea Battn. of the Welsh Regt.; and a nephew, Capt. John Penrice Benson (son of His Honour Judge Denman Benson), was killed in action, 26 Aug. 1914 (see his notice).

BENSON, THOMAS BROOKE, Lieut., 2nd Battn. The Royal Scots Fusiliers, 13th child and 7th and yst. s. of the Rev. Riou George Benson, Rector of Hope Bowdler, co. Salop, by his wife, Mary, dau. of Thomas Brooke, of Northgate House, Honley, co. York, and grandson of Moses George Benson, of Lutwyche Hall, co. Salop, J.P., D.L.; b. 28 July, 1884; educ. The Well House, Malvern Wells, Repton and Sandhurst, and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 2nd Battn. of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, 16 Aug. 1905. He retired from the Army in 1911 and went to Bogowantalawa, Ceylon, and started tea planting, but on the outbreak of war came home and rejoined his old regt. with the rank he was when he left it ... Oct. 1914. He was twice wounded, and was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle in the early morning of 12 March, 1915; unm.

BENSTEAD, CHARLES, Seaman, R.N.R., 4241A, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

BENSTEAD, EDWARD, Private, No. 6378, 2nd Battn. Royal West Surrey Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc., killed in action, 19 Nov. 1914.

BENT, JOHN, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 43247) S.S. 423, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

BENTLEY, CLARENCE LESLIE, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn Manchester Regt., yst. s. of the late Alderman and Sheriff William Bentley, of Fulford Grange, York, J.P., Lord Mayor of York (1907), by his wife, Anne Mary (Fulford Grange, York), dau. of Ewen Cameron, of Fort William, Inverness; b. York, 8 Aug. 1894; educ. Mill Hill School, N.W., and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He received his commission in the Manchester Regt. 8 Aug. 1914 (his 20th birthday), and served with the 3rd Battn. on the Humber defences till early in Sept., when he took out a draft for the 2nd Battn. at the front. He was killed in action near Festubert, 29 Oct. 1914, and was buried at La Quinque Rue; unm. Lieut. Bentley was a bright and talented youth, and was keen on sport, having won all his school colours. He entered Sandhurst as the 195th cadet, and made such good progress that on leaving after the usual course he passed 55th in the 1st Division, and also won his blue for hockey. While serving with the Expeditionary Force he saw a great deal of heavy fighting, and the Captain of his company, in speaking of him, said how much he felt his loss, as he was of such an exceptional and outstanding character. His brother, Lieut. Ronald Cameron Bentley, Green Howards (2nd Battn. Yorkshire Regt.) joined the Expeditionary Force in 1915, and is still (1916) on active service. His eldest brother, Capt. W. W. Bentley, returned from Ceylon, where he held an appointment under Government, early in 1915. He rejoined the Heavy Artillery, in which he had a commission, and is now serving with the Expeditionary Force as Capt. and Adjutant.

BENTLEY, FREELAND MARTELL, Lieut., 3rd Battn. Gordon Highlanders, s. of Capt. Thomas Kellor Bentley, of Port Greville, Nova Scotia, by his wife, Flora Agusta, dau. of Fraser Hatfield; b. Port Greville, 19 May, 1887; joined the Army on the outbreak of war, being given a commission as Lieut., 17th Canadian Infantry (Nova Scotia Regt.), 22 Sept. 1914. He was transferred to the 3rd Battn. Gordon Highlanders, 2 April, 1915, and was killed in action near Festubert, 18 June following. His brother, Capt. Lloyd Omen Bentley, served through the war with the Canadian Field Artillery.

BENTLEY, GEOFFREY MALCOLM, Capt., 1st Battn. Northamptonshire Regt., 5th s. of Lieut.-Col. Alfred Wilson Bentley, of The Grove, Hadley, Barnet, Herts., J.P., by his wife, Catherine Edith, dau. of John Rogers; b. London, 3 May, 1883; educ. Wellington College. He joined the Militia, and served in the South African War, 1900–1, took part in the operations in Cape Colony in 1901, and in the following year was sent for guard duty to St. Helena when the Boer prisoners were quartered there, receiving the Queen’s medal with two clasps. On 28 Jan. 1903 he was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 2nd Battn. Northamptonshire Regt., served in India, and was promoted Lieut. 3 Dec. 1904, and Capt. 7 May, 1910, when he joined the 1st Battn. at Aden. He was afterwards stationed at Devonport and Blackdown. On the outbreak of the European War he went to the front with the Expeditionary Force, and was shot through the head by a sniper in leaving a trench immediately after the Battle of Pilkem, 24 Oct. 1914. He died at Ypres 29 Oct. following without recovering consciousness, and was buried in the cemetery there. Capt. Bentley was mentioned in Sir John French’s Despatch of 14 Jan. 1915 “for gallant and distinguished service in the field.” He m. at Bangor, co. Down, 21 Oct. 1908, Edith Marie, only surviving dau. of William Henry Gallway, of Sheila Von, Bangor, and left a dau., Maureen Sheila, b. 29 Aug. 1911.

BENTLEY, GERALD WILSON, Major, 4th Battn. The Duke of Cambridge’s Own Middlesex Regt., 3rd s. of Lieut.-Col. Alfred Wilson Bentley, of The Grove, Monken Hadley, Middlesex, J.P., by his wife, Catherine Edith, dau. of John Rogers; b. at 16, Addison Road, Kensington, 1 Aug. 1879; educ. Haileybury; gazetted 2nd Lieut. Middlesex Regt. from the Militia, 20 May, 1899, and promoted Lieut. 14 March, 1900, Capt. 12 Oct. 1901, and Major, 8 Oct. 1914. He served in the South African War, 1899–1902, taking part in the relief of Ladysmith, including the operations of 17 to 24 Jan. 1900, and action at Spion Kop, in which he was severely wounded, his rifle, struck by a shell, being broken and causing serious injuries to his head. He recovered and was present at the operations on the Tugela Heights (26 to 27 Feb. 1900), and the action at Pieters Hill, and was awarded the Queen’s medal with four clasps and the King’s medal with two clasps. He became Superintendent of Gymnasia in the Northern Command, 23 April, 1912, and held this appointment till the outbreak of war, when he rejoined his regt. He was killed in action at Croix Barbée, 13 Oct. 1914. A noted boxer in the Service, he was in 1910 the heavyweight champion of the Army and Navy. A man of grand physique, those who fought with him in the ring knew of the power of that right punch of his; he was content to submit to punishment while waiting for the chance to score with it.

BENTLEY, KENNETH HADDON, Private, No. 3047, 14th Battn. (London Scottish) The London Regt. (T.F.), s. of A. Bentley, of Lauriston, Leicester Road, New Barnet; volunteered after the outbreak of war, and joined the London Scottish, 2 Sept 1914; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc. and was killed in action, 12 June, 1915.

BENTZON, SYDNEY MALCOLM, Private, No. 411, 15th Battn. Australian Imperial Force; took part in the landing at the Dardanelles, 25 April, 1915; killed in action there the following day.

BENYON, GODFREY BERKELEY JOHN, Lieut. Commander, R.N., yr. s. of Augustus William Benyon, of Ashe, Windsor, by his wife, Mary Beatrice, dau. of the late William Chambers, of Hafod, co. Cardigan, J.P., D.L.; b. 10 Sept. 1883; educ. Temple Grove, East Sheen, Surrey; joined the old Britannia as a naval cadet in May, 1898, became Sub-Lieut. 1903, Lieut. 1905, and Lieut.-Commander June, 1913. He saw foreign service in China and the Cape, and was also with Admiral Fisher in H.M.S. Renown. Being a first-class draughtsman, he specialised in the Navigating Department; was assistant surveyor in H.M.S. Mutine in Bermuda. After the outbreak of war, he was appointed to H.M.S. Good Hope on 17 Aug., and was lost when that ship went down with Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock and his gallant crew in the action off the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. A memorial window was erected to his memory in All Saints’ Church, Windsor. He m. at Marylebone Church, 1 Nov 1911, Beatrice Lindley, dau. of the late Henry Lindley White, and had issue a son and dau., John Lindley, b. 23 Dec. 1912, and Elizabeth Hope, b. at Bermuda on Christmas Day, 25 Dec. 1914, and christened on board the s.s. Transylvania in mid-Atlantic.

BÉRARD, CHARLES DELPHIS, Private, No. 23628, Cyclists Corps, Canadian Expeditionary Force, s. of Louis Amedée Bérard, of St. Mathias de Rouville, P. Quebec, Canada, by his wife, Délia, dau. of Joachim Létourneau; b. St. Mathias, Rouville co., 9 July, 1892; joined the 85th Montreal Regt. in Aug. 1914; left Quebec with the first Canadian contingent, 30 Sept., and was accidentally killed in England, 2 Dec. 1915; unm.

PACK-BERESFORD, CHARLES GEORGE, Major, 1st Battn. Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regt., 3rd s. of Denis William Pack-Beresford. J.P., D.L., of Fenagh House, Bagnalstown, co. Carlow, by his wife, Annette Caroline, only dau. of Robert Clayton Browne, of Browne’s Hill, co. Carlow; b. London, 21 Nov. 1869; educ. Wellington College and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. the Queen’s Own, 20 Nov. 1889, became Lieut. 1 Feb. 1893, Capt. 18 Dec. 1899, and Major 21 March, 1908, being Adjutant 1897–1900, an instructor at the R.M.C., Sandhurst, 1903–6, and Major in command of 3rd Battn., Regimental Depôt, Maidstone, 1911–14; served with the Malakand and Buner field force on the North-West Frontier of India, 1897–8, including the action at Landakai, the operations in the Mamund country and Buner, also during the attack and capture of the Tanga Pass (medal with clasps); in the South African War, 1899–1901, including the operations in the Orange Free State, Sept. 1900–July, 1901, and in Cape Colony in Aug. 1901, Sept. to Dec. 1901 (Despatches [London Gazette, 10 Sept. 1901];] Queen’s medal with four clasps); and with the Expeditionary Force in France; killed in action at Wasimes, near Mons, 24 Aug 1914; unm.

BERESFORD, WILLIAM, Private, No. 11113, Royal Scots (Lothian Regt.); served with Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action at Voorstraat, 17 Feb. 1915.

BERESFORD, WILLIAM, Private, No. 11787, 2nd Battn. Highland Light Infantry; killed in action, 17 May, 1915.

BERKELEY, MAURICE KENNETH FITZ-HARDINGE, Bombardier, 5th Battery, 2nd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, 1st Canadian Contingent, only s. of Maurice Julian Berkeley, Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court, British Guiana, by his wife, Mary Bruce, dau. of Alleyne Pilgrim Murray; b. Barbados, West Indies, 10 Dec. 1893; educ. Bradfield College, Berkshire, and Pembroke College, Cambridge, and on leaving the latter joined the Merchant’s Bank of Canada at Montreal. On the outbreak of war he volunteered as a Gunner, came over with the first Canadian Contingent, was severely wounded in action at Ypres, 27 April, 1915, and died in hospital at Boulogne on 1 May; unm.

BERLEIN, CHARLES MAURICE, Lieut., 5th (Service) Battn. Oxford and Buckingham L.I., eldest s. of Julius Berlein, of Cross Oak, Berkhamsted, co. Herts, J.P.; b. Kimberley, South Africa, 4 May, 1888; educ. Charterhouse and New College, Oxford (B.A. 1910); was engaged in chemical research, and was in charge of a laboratory, but on the outbreak of war received a commission as temporary Lieut. in the Oxford and Buckingham L.I., 22 Aug. 1914, and fell in action near Hoogh, 16 June, 1915, leading his men through a heavy shrapnel fire, a few paces from the enemy’s trenches; unm.

BERLEIN, LESLIE HERMAN, Lieut., 8th (Service) Battn. Royal Berkshire Regt., yst. s. of Julius Berlein, of Cross Oak, Berkhamsted, co. Herts, J.P.; b. Johannesburg, 30 June, 1893; educ. Charterhouse, Berkhamsted School and Magdalene College, Cambridge, was a member of Lincoln’s Inn, but following the outbreak of war, was gazetted temporary Lieut. in the Berkshires, 19 Sept. 1914. His battn. was selected to lead the attack near Hulluch on 25 Sept. 1915. In the assault his company was leading, and Lieut. Berlein was the first out of the trenches. He was killed on the front of the enemy’s trenches, leading his platoon; unm.

BERNARD, ROBERT, Lieut., 1st Battn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 2nd s. of the Most Rev. John Henry Bernard. D.D., D.C.L., Lord Archbishop of Dublin, by his wife, Maud, 2nd dau. of the late Robert Bernard, M.D., R.N., Dep. Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets; b. Dublin, 20 Dec. 1891; educ. Arnold House, Llandulas, Marlborough College (where he was in the O.T.C.) and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. Dublin Fusiliers, 13 March, 1912, and promoted Lieut. 12 Nov. 1913. He served in the 2nd Battn. at Gravesend, April to Aug. 1912, and then joined the 1st Battn. in India, serving with them at Ahmednagar and Madras to Nov. 1914, when the regt. returned home, afterwards proceeding to the Dardanelles. Lieut. Bernard landed in one of the open boats on Sunday, 25 April, 1915, when many officers were killed and wounded. His Captain was wounded in the landing, so that he was left in command of his company for twenty-four hours, when they lay out under slight cover on “V.” beach. The next morning the Dublins and the Munsters were ordered to storm the village of Sedd-el-Bahr, which they successfully accomplished. Lieut. Bernard was killed when gallantly leading his men in a bayonet charge. Lieuts. Bernard and Andrews were together with about twenty men of the X and Y companies, and they took cover behind a wall five and a half feet high. They were being fired at from a house in the village. Andrews stood in a gap made by a shell and was directing the fire when he was killed. Lieut. Bernard then called on the others to follow him, and saying “Come on, boys,” he dashed through the gap, when he was shot dead by a Turkish rifleman. He and his brother officers were buried close to the beach in a large rectangular grave.

BERNHARDT, MARTIN, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 8682), S.S. 1933, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

BERRIDGE, HARRY, Private, No. G. 1712, 3rd Battn. Middlesex Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action, 2 May, 1915.

BERRIDGE, JOHN FREDERICK HARRY, Corpl., R.M.L.I., Ch. 12245, H.M.S. Hawke; lost in action in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

BERRY, ALFRED, Private, No. 10405, 2nd Battn. Royal West Surrey Regt., s. of Ephraim Berry, of Clayton’s Farm, Mayfield, Sussex; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; d. 1 Nov. 1914, of wounds received in action.

BERRY, ALFRED EDWARD, Private, No. 9681, 2nd Battn. The Royal Scots (Lothian Regt.); served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; d. 3 June, 1915, of wounds received in action.

BERRY, ALFRED ROBERT, Private, No. 1819, H. Coy, 4th Battn. Suffolk Regt., only child of Alfred Berry, of Leiston, co. Suffolk, by his wife, Mary Jane, dau. of William Cole Feree; b. Leiston, 30 Dec. 1896, joined the Army, 26 Jan. 1914, and was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle, 11 March, 1915, being shot through the body and head. His commanding officer spoke most highly of his conduct.

BERRY, EDWARD ALFRED, Private, No. 9681, 2nd Battn. Royal Scots, s. of Ernest Albert Berry, of 37, Euston Street, Euston Square, London, N.W., by his wife, Emily, dau. of George Groves; b. Marylebone, 26 July, 1887; educ. Lancing Street School, Somers Town; enlisted in the 1st Battn., 23 Aug. 1906, was transferred to the 2nd Battn., and was killed in action, 3 June, 1915; unm. The Chaplain wrote that he “was brought into our Field Ambulance (No. 9) last night severely wounded in the head. He died this morning without having become conscious, and I have buried him with the Church Service in the graveyard outside the Asylum here at Ypres, and have marked his grave with a cross inscribed with his name, etc.”

BERRY, IRA SIDNEY, Gunner (Immed. Class, R.F.R., 94), H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

BERRY, THOMAS, Gunner, No. 7455, Royal Field Artillery, 4th s. of James Donkin Berry, of Sunderland, Plater’s Helper, by his wife, Mary, dau. of John Pratt, of Portsmouth; b. Southwick-on-Wear, co. Durham, 1 Jan. 1892; educ. Southwick Board School; was employed at Thompson’s Yard, Sunderland; enlisted 8 March, 1915, and died on active service at Tedworth Hospital, 28 Sept. 1915, of septic peritonitis; unm.

BERRY, THOMAS SIDNEY, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 7823), S.S. 103290, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

BERRYMAN, JAMES, P.O. (N.S.), 189999, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

BERRYMAN, SYDNEY, Private, No. G. 933, 7th (Service) Battn. Royal Sussex Regt., s. of Philip Berryman, of Sunnymount Lodge, Haywards Heath, Sussex; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action, 28 Aug. 1915.

BERTIE, NINIAN MARK KERR, 2nd Lieut., 4th Battn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps (60th Regt.), 4th and yst. s. of Rev. the Hon. Alberic Edward Bertie, M.A., Rector of Gedling, Notts, by his wife, Lady Caroline Elizabeth, née McDonnell, eldest dau. of Mark, 5th Earl of Antrim, and grandson of Montagu, 6th Earl of Abingdon; b. Rutland Gate, London, 19 Nov. 1896; educ. Evelyns and Winchester, and on the outbreak of war was admitted to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from which he was posted to the 60th Rifles, 23 Dec. 1914. He was attached to the 6th Reserve Regt. till March, when he joined the 4th Battn. at the Front. He was killed in action at Hooge, near Ypres, 8 May, 1915, and was buried there. The commanding officer wrote: “I will not say more now than that I sympathise with you (and with my regiment) over the loss of one of the finest and most fearlessly capable lads I ever met. He was quite exceptional.”

BERTRAM, PHILLIP, Stoker, 1st Class, 363940, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.

BEST, HERBERT, Acting Leading Stoker, 309591, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

BETTIS, ALBERT, Private R.M.L.I., Ch. 14607, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

BETTS, GORDON W. G., Private, 5th Royal Highlanders of Montreal, Canadian Expeditionary Force, only s. of the late L.-Corpl. Thomas Henry Betts (who d. on active service, 20 June, 1915, see his notice), by his wife, Margaret Jane (121, Prince Arthur Street West, Montreal), dau. of (—) Armitage; b. 16 April, 1899; volunteered on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914, and joined his father’s regt., and was accidentally shot, 27 Aug. 1914, while on guard duty at Soulanges Canal, the first Canadian to lose his life on active service in the European War.

BETTS, JOHN WILLIAM, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. The Welsh Regt.; b. Ketteringham, Norfolk, 4 Aug. 1887; and educ. there. He joined the Norfolk Regt. in Sept. 1905, and was posted to the 2nd Battn.; served in South Africa, Gibraltar and India. He obtained his discharge to the Reserve in Oct. 1912, and on returning to England joined the Lincolnshire County Constabulary, and was stationed at Ouston Ferry. On the outbreak of war he rejoined the 1st Battn. and proceeded to Ireland. He was promoted to Sergt., and went to the Front with the Expeditionary Force, serving through the retreat from Mons, etc. He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 20 Nov. 1914 [London Gazette, 17 Feb. 1915], and was afterwards promoted on the field for gallantry and obtained his commission, being gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the Welsh Regt. 12 Dec. 1914. He was killed in action at L’Epinette, on Sunday, 9 May, 1915, while leading a charge. He m. at Birmingham, 6 Dec. 1913, Emma Elizabeth (53, Manchester Street, New Cleethorpe, Grimsby), dau. of (—) Read, of Ketteringham, and had issue a dau., Irene Elsie Maud, b. 17 Nov. 1914.

BETTS, THOMAS HENRY, L.-Corpl., No. 894, Canadian Army Service Corps, s. of Joseph Betts; b. Montreal, 26 Nov. 1870; educ. St. Anne’s School there; served for over 20 years with the 5th Royal Highlanders of Montreal, and on the death on service of his son, Private G. W. G. Betts, decided to volunteer for Imperial service, and joined the Canadian A.S.C. in April, 1915. He left for England 13 May following, and d. in Newingreen Camp, England, 20 June, 1915, of haemorrhage of the heart. He m. at St. Patrick’s Church, Montreal, 23 Aug. 1897, Margaret Jane (121, Prince Arthur Street West, Montreal), dau. of (—) Armitage, and had three children: Gordon W. J., b. 16 April, 1899, killed on service (see his notice); Helena E. J. and Armitage H. A., b. 10 Oct. 1904.

BEVAN, ERNEST VICTOR, Private, No. 744, 6th Battn. Australian Imperial Force, s. of the late James Frederick Bevan, of Stanwell (who died 25 Feb. 1895), by his wife, Hannah (62, Kingston Road, Teddington), dau. of Samuel Parker; b. Stanwell, co. Middlesex, 18 Dec. 1891; went to Australia in 1914 to take up farming, and volunteered after the outbreak of war and joined the Commonwealth Expeditionary Force in Sept. 1914; left for Egypt with the main force in Oct. 1914; went to the Dardanelles, April, 1915, and was killed in action there, 8 May, 1915, being bayoneted in a Turkish attack on the trenches at Anzac; unm.

BEVAN, GORDON FREDERICK, Private, No. 16861, 7th Battn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, s. of the late James Frederick Bevan, of Stanwell (who died 25 Feb. 1895), by his wife, Hannah (62, Kingston Road, Teddington), dau. of Samuel Parker; b. Stanwell, co. Middlesex, 3 Aug. 1888; educ. Croydon High School; went to Canada in Sept. 1907; volunteered on the outbreak of war, and joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Aug. 1914; came over with the first contingent; went to France, Feb. 1915, and was killed in action there, 16 March, 1915, being shot by a sniper; unm.

BEVAN, PERCY, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 4894), S.S. 104327, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

BEVAN, REGINALD JAMES, Private, No. 1881, 26th Battn. 7th Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, eldest s. of James Bevan, of Henalt Hay Road, Builth Wells, Brecon, a Carpenter on Lord Glanusk’s estate, by his wife, Agnes, dau. of Thomas Wasley, of Bishop Cleeve, near Cheltenham; b. Builth Wells, 9 Sept. 1894; educ. Builth Wells School; at the age of 16 worked his passage out to Australia on s.s. Gothic; was employed at the Bull and Mouth Hotel in Melbourne, afterwards as a waiter in Sidney. On the outbreak of war he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force; left for Egypt with the 3rd Reinforcements, and was killed in action near Sari Bair, Anzac, Gallipoli, 24 Oct. 1915; unm. Buried in cemetery attached to 7th Field Ambulance, A Section.

BEVAN, RICHARD VINCENT, Private, 5th Battn. (City of London) The London Regt., The London Rifle Brigade, s. of Richard Bevan, of 31, Girdler’s Road, Brook Green, W., L.R.C.P.L., D.P.H., etc., Alderman of Hammersmith; b. Lydd, co. Kent, 22 March, 1893; educ. at Colet Court and St. Paul’s School (foundation scholar), where he gained the Huxley scholarship; was in the St. Paul’s O.T. Corps, and joined the London Rifle Brigade, 1911. At the time he was called up with his regt., he was a medical student and Huxley Scholar at Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, and was an undergraduate of the London University. He was shot, while in “Plugstreet” Wood with his section, 10 Dec. 1914, and died two days later at Bailleul Clearing Hospital from his wounds; buried in Bailleul Cemetery; unm. Bevan was in the Gymnasium eight at St. Paul’s and reserve man at the Aldershot Public School Competition. He played Rugby for the Old Pauline A team and for the Charing Cross Hospital Rugby team.

BEVERIDGE, DAVID, Private, No. 17241, 10th (Service) Battn. Highland Light Infantry, s. of M. Beveridge of 216, Mathieson Street, Glasgow; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action at Loos, 25 Sept. 1915.

BEVERIDGE, DAVID ALEXANDER, 2nd Lieut., 54th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, 4th s. of Erskine Beveridge, LL.D., of St. Leonard’s Hill, Dunfermline, and Vallay, North Uist, by his wife, Mary, dau. of John Owst, of Wilberfoss, co. York; b. Dunfermline, 4 Nov. 1886; educ. St. Ninian’s, Moffat; Loretto; and Pembroke College, Cambridge (B.A. 1908); and when war broke out was studying for the Scottish Bar in Edinburgh. He was gazetted 2nd Lieut., R.F.A., 10 Oct. 1914; left for the Dardanelles, 7 July, 1915, and died at St. Andrew’s Hospital, Malta, 13 Sept. 1915, of dysentery contracted while on active service in Gallipoli; buried at Valletta; unm. He was a keen Rugby footballer, playing for his schools and college. Two of his brothers are now (1916) on active service, and his brother-in-law, Lieut. Alexander B. Innes, 1/7th Gordon Highlanders, and two uncles, Capt. and Adjutant David Inglis, 1/4th Gurkha Rifles, and Lieut. Charles N. D. Inglis, 2/8th Gurkha Rifles, were killed in action.

BEVERIDGE, JOHN, Private, No. 14555, 13th (Service) Battn. Royal Scots (Lothian Regt.); served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action at Hooge, 14 Sept. 1915.

BEVERIDGE, ROBERT McAUSLAN, Private, No. 401, 1st Battn. Black Watch (42nd Royal Highlanders), s. of Alexander Beveridge, of Perth, Builder and Valuer (died 4 Jan. 1914); b. Cherrybank, Perth, 7 Jan. 1887; educ. Public School there, enlisted 30 Oct. 1905, stationed Fort George 1905–6, and in India 1906–Dec. 1912, being in charge of Regimental Police 1909–12; formed one of their Majesties’ Bodyguard on the occasion of the Durbar, 1911, and received the King’s medal. On the outbreak of war he was called up 6 Aug. and was badly wounded at the Battle of the Aisne, and died in No. 3 General Hospital, St. Nazaire, 28 Sept. 1914; buried there; unm.

BEVERLEY, ARTHUR, Private, No. 14024, 2nd Battn. Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regt., 2nd s. of Bethel Beverley, of 54, Savile Park Street, Halifax, Professor of Music, by his wife, Sarah Isabel; b. Halifax, 4 Dec 1893; educ. Halifax Secondary School; left his work as an electrical engineer and volunteered after the outbreak of war in Sept. 1914, and was at first attached to the 3rd Battn. of the West Riding Regt. After seven months’ training he went to France with a draft to the 2nd Battn. He was only there three weeks when he died 5 May, 1915, from the effects of gas poisoning at Hill 60, and was buried on the Ypres and Poperingue Road; unm.

BEVIS, EDWARD ALBERT FRANK, Boy, 1st Class, J. 26776 (Ports.), H.M.S. Hawke, lost in action in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

BEVIS, WILLIAM, Private, No. 10259, 1st Battn. Royal West Kent Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action 16 March, 1915.

BEYFUS, HAROLD EMANUEL, Private, No. 225, 5th Battn. (Rifle Brigade) The London Regt., yr. s. of Albert Lewis Beyfus, of 3, Park Place Villas, Maida Hill, W., Precious Stone Merchant and Broker, by his wife, Essie, dau. of Benjamin de Frece, of New York, U.S.A.; b. Maida Hill, W., 26 April, 1886; educ. Gower St. University School, and Kahn’s Institute, Brussels; joined the London Rifle Brigade after the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914; was wounded in the head, in action at Hill 60, 1 May, 1915, and died in hospital at Boulogne two days later; unm.

BEZER, REUBEN, Private, No. 3387, A. Coy., 6th Battn. Northumberland Fusiliers (T.F.); a native of Jesmond, Newcastle-on-Tyne; left Blyth for the Front, 20 April, 1915, was in action on 26 April, and was posted as missing the following day.

BIBB, GEORGE FREDERICK, Armourer, 342183, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

BIBBY, JOHN PATRICK, Lieut. 2nd Battn. The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 2nd s. of Col. Alfred Bibby, late 4th Hussars; b. 9 Nov. 1892; gazetted 2nd Lieut. from the Special Reserve to the 2nd Cameronians, 10 Dec. 1913, and promoted tempy. Lieut., 15 Nov. 1914; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action there 10 March, 1915; unm.

BICKERTON, FREDERICK RICHARD, Sergt., No. 1110, A Coy. 1st/3rd Battn. (Royal Fusiliers) The London Regt. (T.F.), s. of Samuel Richard Bickerton, of 58, Moray Road, Tollington Park, N., Builder’s Clerk, by his wife, Fanny Cinclar, dau. of John Spiller Standen, late of 60, Moray Road, Tollington Park, N.; b. 22 Sept. 1893; educ. Montem Street Elementary and Higher Grade Schools (passed Oxford Local Junior Exam. 1908, with 3rd class honours); was a shipping clerk in the City of London, and joined the 3rd City of London Regt. in 1911. On the outbreak of war he was sent to guard the railway line near Fleet, Hants, and from thence to Malta for four months, reaching France in Jan. 1915. He went through the Battle of Neuve Chapelle where his Coy. were badly cut up, was promoted Sergt. in March, 1915, and was afterwards slightly wounded but recovered and rejoined. He died at No. 7 Casualty Clearing Station 18 Aug. 1915, from wounds received in action at Aubers Ridge, and was buried in Merville Cemetery, France (Grave H. 46); unm. His Commanding Officer, Capt. Noel, wrote: “I can honestly say that he was a fine soldier. I especially owe him a debt of gratitude, because if it had not been for him, I should probably not be alive now. I was rather badly wounded at Neuve Chapelle, and your son bandaged me up under heavy fire; he then practically carried me and put me in a shell hole, and later in the day came back to me when my life was in danger from shells, and helped to carry me back to our lines. I mentioned his name to the Colonel directly I was able to write, and he would surely have earned some decoration if he had lived, because both in the trenches and at Neuve Chapelle he showed great bravery and indifference under fire. He was popular all round and regretted by everyone, and I am proud to say he was in my company.”

BIDDLECOMBE, EDWARD GEORGE, Sergt., R.M.A., 8781, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

BIGGE, HON. JOHN NEVILLE, Capt., King’s Royal Rifle Corps, only s. and h. of Arthur John, 1st Lord Stamfordham, P.C., G.C.I.E., G.C.V.O., K.C.B., Private Secretary to his Majesty the King, by his wife, Constance, dau. of the late Rev. William Frederick Neville, Vicar of Butleigh, Somerset; b. London, 14 Oct. 1887; educ. Evelyn’s, Eton and Royal Military College, Sandhurst; was Page of Honour to Queen Victoria and to King Edward VII., and on leaving Sandhurst obtained his commission as 2nd Lieut. 4th Battn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, at Colchester, 6 Oct. 1906, afterwards proceeding with them to India. He became Lieut. 10 March, 1909, was for a short time acting A.D.C. to the Earl of Minto when Viceroy of India, and to Viscount Hardinge for the Coronation Durbar; was transferred to the Egyptian Army, 8 July, 1913, and appointed A.D.C. to Sir Reginald Wingate, Gov.-Gen. of the Sudan and Sirdar of the Egyptian Army. On the outbreak of war he was unable, according to the conditions of service, to leave the Egyptian Army, but in Sept. 1914, he was appointed A.D.C. to Gen. the Hon. Julian Byng, then nominated to the command of the 3rd Cavalry Division of the Expeditionary Force. He landed at Ostend on 7 Oct., was promoted Capt. 1 March, and remained on Gen. Byng’s Staff until the end of April, 1915, when at his own request he returned to regimental duty and joined the 1st Battn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, then attached to the 6th Brigade, 2nd Division. On the occasion of the night attack carried out by the 1st Army on 15–16 May, he was in command of the C Company. Soon after the advance began he was seen to be wounded in the leg, but refused assistance from one of his men, said he was all right, and told the rifleman to go on. He was never seen again.

BIGGS, GEORGE EDWARD, Private, No. 26058, 14th Battn. (Royal Montreal Regt.), Canadian Expeditionary Force, 5th s. of the late Edward Biggs, of Rainham, Essex, by his wife, Eliza; b. Dagenham, co. Essex, 27 Jan. 1885; educ. Rainham; emigrated to Canada in 1910, and settled in Toronto. He enlisted immediately on the outbreak of the war in Aug. 1914, came over with the first Canadian Contingent, and after training during the winter on Salisbury Plain, left for France, 3 April, 1915. He was eighteen days in the trenches during the Battle of Hill 60, and was killed in action at Richebourg, 20 May, 1915, while acting as bomb thrower, and was buried near Festubert. He m. at Rainham, 17 Aug. 1907, Daisy Constance (Anglo Cottages, Purfleet, Essex), 2nd dau. of Frederick Allen; s.p.

BILLING, CHARLES GEORGE, Capt., Royal Marine L.I., Chatham, attached to Deal Division, eldest s. of the late Rev. George Billing, M.A., sometime (1871–88) missionary under the S.P.G. at Ramnad, Madras and Calcutta, afterwards vicar of Sturry and Platt, by his wife, Caroline Flora (28 Bromley College, Bromley), dau. of the Rev. Joseph Gabbett, co. Limerick, Ireland; b. Ramnad, Madura District, Madras, 15 May, 1882; educ. King’s School, Canterbury, Dover College and Greenwich. He received his commission in the Royal Marines, 1 Jan. 1901, and was promoted Lieut., 1 Jan. 1902, and Capt., 1 Jan. 1912. Served on the China Station, 1903, West Indies, 1906, the Mediterranean, 1908, the Pacific, 1912, etc., and received pilot’s certificate in Flying Corps, Oct. 1913. He was appointed to the H.M.S. Doris, 1914, and was stationed near Ascension Island till April, 1915, when he came home. He left Plymouth for the Dardanelles, 10 May, 1915, and was killed in action, 13 June following; unm.

BILLING, SAMUEL ALFRED, No. 2449, 16th Battn. (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), s. of George Timothy Billing, of 22, Ribblesvale Road, Hornsey, Inspector, Finsbury Borough Council; b. London, 16 Feb. 1896; educ. Stationers’ School, Crouch End, was an articled clerk to the Borough Accountant of Hornsey, but on the outbreak of war enlisted, 27 Aug. 1914, and was killed in action at Houplines, near Armentières, France, 27 Feb. 1915; unm. A comrade wrote: “His grave is here ... a mile from the firing line, a simple white cross with the simplest inscription, and the plaque bearing the regimental arms and the grand old Latin phrase, ‘Dulce et decorum est pro patriâ mori.’”

BILLINGTON, LESLIE CHARLES, 2nd Lieut., 4th, attached 2nd, Battn. Lancashire Fusiliers, only s. of Charles Billington, of Heimath, Longport, co. Stafford, Metallurgist, by his wife, Annie Jane, dau. of George Richard Cockhead; b. Wolstanton, co. Stafford, 25 Dec. 1895; educ. Bishop’s Stortford College, and entered Manchester University as an engineering student in Oct. 1913. He was in camp with the University O.T.C. at the outbreak of war, and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 4th Battn. of the Lancashire Fusiliers, 14 Oct. 1914. On going to the Front he was attached to the 2nd Battn., and was killed in action during the taking of German trenches at Pilken, near Ypres, 6–9 July, 1915; unm. Writing on Aug. 1, Major Bowes said: “I have been making enquiries from the N.C.Os. and men of his platoon, and from what I can gather he was leading a party of men up to the German trenches during the violent attack which lasted from July 6 to the 9th. His party was told off as bomb throwers. He fell on the parapet of the trenches and nothing was recovered from his body. One thing I can say and that is, he showed the greatest courage, and never flinched when he was told off for the dangerous job. It was a most ghastly time for us all, and during those three days and four nights we lost ten officers killed and eight wounded, including the Commanding Officer and Adjutant, and all the captains except one, and eighty-five men killed and 234 wounded and missing. The place where this fight took place is called Pilken, about three miles N. of Ypres. It was brought about this way. One of the German trenches was in such a position as to enfilade the front trench occupied by the Rifle Brigade. This regt. with the Somersets were told off to take this trench, which they did on the morning of 6 July. My battn. relieved these two regts. on the 6th (midnight) and occupied the captured German trench. We had orders to hold the trench at all costs. The Germans counter attacked on the morning of the 7th with heavy artillery and bomb throwers, but in spite of heavy odds against us we held that trench for three whole days, until we were relieved at midnight on the 9th by another brigade. The regt. covered itself with honour in those three days, and it was due to such fine young fellows as your boy that we were able to hold our own”; and a few days later Corpl. Brereton wrote: “We were holding some trenches captured from the Germans, and our platoon, which was ably commanded by your son, were in support to the firing line. We were subjected to a very heavy shell fire, and early on your son inspired confidence in his men by the way he assisted in digging several of our men out who had been buried with debris, thereby saving, I know, two men’s lives from suffocation, for which we all admired him. It is the most nerve-trying time you can get, to be under heavy shell fire, especially fresh out from England, but your son seemed to overcome it straight away, and turned out a brick, as it were. On the afternoon of the 7th we were ordered to reinforce the front line, and when we arrived there learned that our bomb throwers had retired from the advanced saphead temporarily, being short of bombs. The Germans had occupied it, so your son was ordered by Capt. Blencowe, who was in command (the Col. and several of our senior officers having got wounded), to retake the trench. I was the corpl. in charge of the section he selected to go with him. He led us up fearlessly, he himself yards in front of any of his men, and I saw him get up to the parapet and empty his revolver, then jump in the trench, and after the trench was retaken, he was most unfortunately hit with a shell, dying a brave soldier’s death, staunch and fearless to the end. His platoon greatly feel the loss of so gallant an officer, and offer you their most sincere sympathy in your sad loss.”