Great Torrington Remembers
Private Arthur (Albert) Bennett
Arthur Samuel Bennett, later in his life known as Albert, was born in Great Torrington in 1895. His father, Samuel, born in 1860 and was also born in the town, worked as a “packer” on the railway. His mother, Sarah, born in 1862, who worked as a lace maker, was born in the West Worlington are of Chulmleigh. Living at 65 New Street, the family was made up of two brothers, Percy, born in 1888, and Herbert, born in 1890. The 1901 census shows us a few changes in the family with both parents changing jobs. Samuel is now a “hotel ostler”, which is an employee who looks after the horses of people staying at an inn, and Sarah is a laundress. Despite being only 13 years old, the eldest son, Percy, is listed as an errand boy.
In the same year, Arthur begins school at Great Torrington Council School for boys; his father is the listed parent. From later newspaper clippings, we also know that the young Arthur was an active member of the Wesleyan Church, the Sunday School and the local Boy Scouts Brigade in the town [1].
By the 1915 census Arthur is 15 and has commenced an apprenticeship as a printer with a local firm. His father has changed employment again and is now acting as a farm labourer. Arthur is the only remaining sibling to still be living in the family home, the household is now completed with visitor, Ethel Bangham, whose brother was also a soldier in Great War, and visitors Llewellyn Lloyd and Edward Jennings. Sadly, his mother is not resident with the family at this time but can be found as a patient in the local Cottage Hospital; a matron, domestic worker, a sick nurse and three other patients are also resident.
With regards to Arthur’s enlistment, there are a number of factors we can gather from the official records. We know that he enlisted in Great Torrington and was enrolled with the 2nd Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. We can also see that he held the rank of Private and had the serial number 11369. However, details and records of his service are unclear. We know that he “died of wounds” in the France and Flanders theatre. It is difficult to say which military action a soldier was engaged in as the time of wounds being inflicted to when the soldier passes away is indeterminate and it is feasible that they may have had a reasonably lengthy period of care in a military hospital.
Arthur Bennett died on 11th June 1915, he was aged just 20 years. News of his death was first listed in the Western Times in the ongoing casualty lists [2]. A further article in the North Devon Journal elaborated that Albert (Arthur) had died at the front of his wounds. They highlighted his work before the war as a printer working for Mr TJ Dyer, whose photos were regularly used for the local paper, and described as a “clever and capable craftsman”. They go on to point out that this loss had been particularly devastating on the Bennett family having lost the mother of the family within the year[3]. Two weeks later it was reported that an impressive Sunday evening memorial service was held for Private Bennett with a large congregation, which was conducted by the Pastor, Rev. HF Bran [4]. Arthur’s name can be found on the Great Torrington war memorial; in addition, he is also remembered at the Merville Communal Cemetery in the Nord area of France.
Again, tracing relatives for Arthur Bennett has proven difficult, not helped by his last name being incredibly common, indeed, as his first name and that of his brothers. In the first instance, we know that Arthur never married so, sadly, we can immediately rule out any direct family lineage. Tracing the lineage of his brothers is equally painstaking. We know from military records that Percy Bennett had moved to Croydon before the start of the war and his contact address is 125 Sussex Rd. South Croydon. However, because these names are such high frequency, it is not possible to be accurate in research and, alas, descendants could not be traced.
[1] North Devon Journal. July 22nd 1915. ‘Torrington’.
[2] Western Times. July 7th 1915. ‘The Devons’,
[3] North Devon Journal. July 8th 1915. ‘Death of Torrington Soldier at the Front’.
[4] North Devon Journal. July 22nd 1915. ‘Torrington’.