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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (4) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, the OFS clasp a tailor’s copy (Lieut: H. Bennett. Royal Fus:);
1914 Star (Capt: H. Bennett. 2/3 Gurkha Rif.);
British War and Victory Medals (Capt. H. Bennett.)

Harold Bennett was born on 11 April 1882, and was educated at Uppingham School. Enlisting for service in the Boer War with the 5th (Militia) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, he served in South Africa and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers, later transferring to the Essex Regiment. He transferred to the Indian Army on 12 November 1905, and was appointed to the 2nd/3rd Gurkha Rifles.

Shortly before the outbreak of war in August 1914 Bennett was at home on leave, when he received an urgent message to join his regiment at Port Said in Egypt and travel with them to Marseilles, where he landed in France with the Indian Corps on 13 October 1914, the 2/3rd Gurkhas forming part of the Garwhal Brigade, before moving on to Northern France. It was here that they first engaged with the German troops who had mounted a massive push to clear the road to Calais.

On the evening of 13 November 1914 an attack was launched on a German trench, located fifty yards from the junction of the trenches of the 1st/39th and 2nd/39th Garhwalis. The assaulting party consisted of six platoons of the 2nd/3rd Gurkhas with 50 rifles of the 2nd/39th Garhwalis. The attack commenced at 9.15 p.m. after a fifteen minute artillery bombardment but the Germans were prepared with searchlights and strategically positioned machine-guns. The assaulting party charged but was met with a withering fire - in the first few moments, all the British and Gurkha officers in the centre and the left were shot down. Despite further futile attempts to renew the attack, the drastically depleted party was forced to retire. The losses were extremely heavy in proportion to the small number engaged; four British officers were killed with two wounded and more than 95 other ranks as casualties.

Bennett when last seen was wounded in the right leg but still leading his men under searchlight and in the face of machine gun fire. Reported missing presumed killed in action on 13 November 1914, he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Neuve-Chapelle Indian Memorial, France.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (4) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, unofficial rivets between state and date clasps (3446 Pte. J. Ashby. Rl: Fus:)

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (2883 Pte. B. Knibbs, 2nd. Rl: Fus:);
KSA (2) (2883 Corpl: B. Knibbs. Rl: Fusiliers.)

Benjamin Whiteman Knibbs. Born 1868 in Woodnewton, Peterborough, Northamptonshire, England. Service papers extant.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (3726 Pte. A. Devoil, 2nd Royal Fus:), mounted as worn rank and name officially re-impressed

2nd Battalion. QSA verified on WO100/171p25

Henry Thomas Devoil. Born 1874 in Islington, London, Middlesex, England

Picture courtesy of Wallis and Wallis

Described as:

QSA 4 clasps CC, Trans, OFS, SA02 (5311 Pte E Small Rl Fusiliers), VF (minor edge bruise)

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

[ QSA (2) ];
Tibet (1) Gyantse (7931 LCpl. H. Prentice 1st. Bn. Ryl. Fuslrs.)

During the Tibet Expedition, the bulk of the casualties (202) were to Native units. Several British Officers were killed and wounded but no British NCO’s or men were killed. However, three were wounded - all three, including Prentice, being so at the Gyantse Yong on 6 July 1904. A further eight were injured in the explosion at Gyantse the following day.

Henry Prentice, an 18 year old Greengrocer’s Assistant from Lambeth, London, enlisted into the Royal Fusiliers on 12 March 1900, having previously served for three years with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Royal West Surrey Regiment. He served in South Africa with the 4th Battalion’s Mounted Infantry Company from 16 March 1901 until 21 October 1902. Promoted Lance Corporal on 19 February 1903, he further served with the 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers during the Tibet expedition of 1904, during which he was wounded in action during the assault on the fortress at Gyantse Yong on 6 July 1904.

Reverting to Private on 10 August 1905, Prentice was awarded a gratuity for service with the Tibet Mission escort and transferred to the Army Reserve on 11 March 1908. His service papers note him having passed the Mounted Infantry course on 16 March 1901 and Mounted Infantry (maxim gun) course on 1 January 1907, and confirms service during the Boer War 1901-02 and on the Sikkim-Tibet Expedition 1904; present at the action of Niani (28 June 1904); operations at and around Gyantse; and the march to Lhassa. They also confirm he was wounded in the scalp at Gyantse Yong on 6 July 1904.