Dates:
War Service:
Lieutenant ROBERTIO CHARLES RUDOLPH BUSBY BENNETT, MC of 20th (Blackheath and Woolwich) battalion London Regiment died on 24 August 1918, aged 31. He fought at Festubert and Givenchy as a private in the 20th Londons. He was wounded at Loos and invalided home with gun shot wounds to his left shoulder. After convalescence he joined the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps and was eventually commissioned into the 20th Londons on 19 December 1916.
The citation for his Military Cross reads “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He led his company under heavy artillery and machine gun fire with remarkable ability and courage, and maintained the spirit and determination of his men under very trying circumstances by his fine example”.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.
Location of Memorial:
He is remembered on the the war memorial at St Dunstan’s College, on the 20th London Regiment Roll of Honour and in the pages of the History of The Old Rugby Football Club.
Inscription of Memorial at St Dunstan's School:
Robertio C R B BENNETT
MC
Captain 20th London Regiment
and East Lancashire Regiment
Born. August 14th 1887
Entered the College. 1900
Prefect. 1904
First XV. 1903.4.5
First XII 1905
Left College. 1905
Killed in Action in France
August 23rd 1918
Details:
He was the son of Robert Charles and Sarah Julia Bennett, of Branscombe House, Ravensbourne Park, Catford. He had previously worked as a civil servant in the Ministry of Health. He was educated at Rathfern Road Elementary school and St Dunstan’s College in Catford which he attended from 1900-1905. After the war one of the Houses at St Dunstan’s was renamed in his honour. The RCRB Bennett Memorial Prize for outstanding service to House activities was instituted in his memory.
Source:
London Gazette
St Dunstan's College Roll of Honour 1914-1919 : D W Collett, BA (1988)
Contributed By: Andy Pepper
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