Private Edward John Bennett
9th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment.
Died of Wounds
Date of Birth: 1885
Place of Birth: Exeter, Devon
Date of Death: Died 6 April 1917 aged 38.
Buried: Euston Road Cemetery, Somme. Remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. James’ Church Memorial Window, Teignmouth, Devon
Awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Private Edward John Bennett age 38. Born Exeter in 1879, and baptised on 2 April the son of John and Fanny of Mary Arches Street. The 1881 census showed him with his family in Exeter.
Edward married Lucy Ann Willington in 1912 and they were living in Teignmouth, where he was the landlord of the White Hart Inn, Brook Street. Prior to that he had been the licencee of the Dawlish Inn.
He had previously served in the army for several years thus, after war broke out, he enlisted in Exeter with the Devonshire Regiment and went to India with them. He was later posted to 9th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, service number 36293 and went to France with them. At some stage he was wounded as he was shown at No. 44 Casualty Clearing Station (undated) in France possibly prior to his death.
Edward was fighting with his regiment when he died of wounds on 6 April 1917. Buried in Euston Road Cemetery, Somme. Remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. James’ Church Memorial Window, Teignmouth, Devon.
A total gratuity of £7.19s.7d was paid to his widow Lucy by 1919.
Grave Inscription reads: “Yet I'll Not Take My Love From Him Nor False My Promise Make”.
From The Western Times
Saturday 12 May 1917
"Private E. J. Bennett of the Devons, who, it is officially reported, died of wounds, was the landlord of the White Hart Hotel, Higher Brook Street, Teignmouth, and formerly licensee of the Dawlish Inn. The deceased had served 18 years in the Army and was called up under the Derby system. He served in India and through the South African War for which he possessed two medals and four bars. He leaves a widow but no family. Private Bennett formerly resided at Exeter, his relatives having kept the Exonia Inn there."
