Seven: Warrant Officer Class 2 H. A. Bennett, Northumberland Fusiliers and King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (4575 Pte., 1/North’d. Fus), correction to naming; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Orange Free State, Transvaal (4575 Pte., North’d. Fus.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (4575 Corpl., North’d. Fus.); British War Medal 1914-20 (8784 C. Sjt., K.R.R.C.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue (8784 W.O. Cl. 2, K.R.R.C.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (C.S.1, 2nd Bn. G.I.P. Ry. Vols.), engraved naming; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (4575 Pte., 5th Fusers.), mounted for wear, some with contact marks, fine and better (7) £700-800

Herbert Alfred Bennett was born in Hammersmith, Middlesex, on 20 July 1876. A Toy Maker by occupation, he enlisted into Northumberland Fusiliers on 13 March 1895. With the 1st Battalion he served in Malta, January 1897-January 1898. He then served in Egypt and Sudan, January-October 1898, during which time he served in the battle of Omdurman, 2 September 1898. He was then posted to Crete, October 1898-May 1899. After a short period home, Bennett and the 1st Battalion were posted to South Africa, September 1899-October 1906. Bennett was posted as ‘missing in action’ at Klerksdorp, 25 February 1902. Briefly taken prisoner by the forces commanded by De la Rey, he was soon after released. In the action 58 officers and men were killed and 129 wounded - nearly one third of the force engaged. In November 1902 Bennett was advanced to Sergeant and posted to the 3rd Battalion. Returning to the 1st battalion Bennett was posted to India on October 1906 but was invalided back to the U.K. in November 1907 suffering from Malarial Fever. Recovering he was again posted to India in November 1909, serving with the 4th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps. In March 1911 Bennett was posted to the India Unattached List on detachment from the 4th K.R.R.C., and was promoted Colour Sergeant Instructor to the 2nd Great Indian Peninsular Railway Volunteer Rifles. Serving in India throughout the Great War, he was awardd the L.S. & G.C. Medal in August 1917. He was discharged as time-expired in May 1919, giving as his home address ‘St. James’s Road, Castle Hedingham, Essex’. Bennett was granted the M.S.M. in Army Order 156 of 3 December 1953. Sold with a folder containing copied service papers and a quantity of other research.