Frederic Charles Gordon Bennett (1904 - 1942)

Born 26 Jan 1904 in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 38 in At Sea

Biography

Frederic Bennett was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Frederic Bennett died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Frederic Charles Gordon BENNETT was born in 1904 at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, the son of Frederic William BENNETT and Malendah DOWER.

He was in a de facto relationship with Gladys Florence Dowson, who was known as Mrs Bennett. It appears she was from New Zealand, possibly Christchurch.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Caulfield, VIC on 10 Jun 1940 as a Private (VX21580). At the time he was married, a compositor and was living with his wife in South Yarra, VIC. He had brown hair and brown eyes.

He had previously served in the New Zealand Territorials.

On 31 Jul 1940 he was posted to 2/22nd Bn.

He entrained from Victoria to Sydney on 11 Mar 1941, embarked in Sydney on HMT "Katoomba" on 12 Mar 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea, disembarking there on 28 Mar 1941. His Battalion was to form the core of "Lark Force" to defend the Territory.

After the Japanese invasion of 23 Jan 1942, he was captured at the Kokopo hospital and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. Japanese records show him as part of D Coy.

He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.

Sources

• Birth - Western Australia BDM Birth index - Bennett, Frederic Charles Gordon; M; Frederic William BENNETT; Malendah DOWER; Brown Hill; 1904; -; 1565 1904.

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BENNETT FREDERICK CHARLES : Service Number - VX21580 : Date of birth - 26 Jan 1904 : Place of birth - KALGOOLIE WA : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - BENNETT GLADYS - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6208551

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1685803

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615372/bennett,-frederick-charles-gordon/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/619764

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/bennett-frederick-charles/