William Eric Benzley (1906 - 1942)

Born 23 Jun 1906 in Richmond, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 36 in At Sea

Biography

Eric Benzley was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Eric Benzley died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

William Eric Benzley was born in 1906 at Richmond, VIC, the son of William Henry Benzley and Clara Keeble. He was known as Eric and had a sister Hazel (Swan).^[1]

He married Jessie Winifred May Saunders in Victoria in 1927. There was at least one child, a daughter Josephine (b. 1930).

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Caulfield, VIC on 10 Jun 1940 as a Private (VX22879). At the time he was married, but was not living with his wife. Instead he was living at the address of Mrs Winifred Yarrow of Sassafras, VIC, a friend who he gave as his next of kin. He was a gardener and truck driver and had medium hair and brown eyes.

Although initially identified for the 2/2nd Medium Regt, he was posted to 2/22nd Bn at Seymour, VIC on 27 Aug 1940.

He was promoted A/ Lance Cpl on 12 Oct 1940.

He entrained from Victoria for Sydney on 11 Apr 1941, embarking there on 12 Apr 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea and disembarking there on 26 Apr 1941. His Battalion was to form the core of "Lark Force" for the defence of the Territory.

He reverted to Private on 31 May 1941.

After the Japanese invasion of 23 Jan 1942, he was captured at Gasmata many weeks after the invasion and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul.

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

1. ↑ Family Notices (1946, July 2). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved June 14, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245550846

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Registration number: 21580 / 1906; Family name: BENZLEY; Given name(s); Wm Eric; Place of event: RICHMOND, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Clara; Mother's family name at birth: KEEBLE; Father's Name: Wm Hy

• Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Registration number: 5083 / 1927; Family name: BENZLEY; Given name(s): Wm Eric; Personal detail: Spouse's family name: SAUNDERS; Spouse's given name(s): Jessie Wfred May

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BENZLEY WILLIAM ERIC : Service Number - VX22879 : Date of birth - 23 Jun 1906 : Place of birth - RICHMOND VIC : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - BENZLEY JOSEPHINE - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6207411

• Death Notices On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, December 1). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 4. Retrieved June 14, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245944265

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1685244

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615378/benzley,-william-eric/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/619844

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/benzley-william-eric/