# WWI and Toronto's 81st Battalion



## CivilizedGraeme (4 Aug 2015)

As many of you know I am producing, together with several members of The Beaches Lodge, a choral album featuring songs from the era of WWI called Sacrifice and Solace. Today I was researching members of our lodge who served in the Great War and came across Major John Hyde Bennett who enlisted in the 81st Battalion, was wounded, returned to the front and was killed in action in 1916.

I have found via Library and Archives in Ottawa his Officers' Declaration Paper, and also several webpages related to the 81st from an administrative perspective, such as http://cefresearch.ca/matrix/Army%20Corps/Divisions/Reorganized%20Units/Absorbed%20by%20Reserves/81st%20Battalion.htm
but I cannot seem to locate any information on the actions that wounded and killed Major Bennett. So, I'm reaching out to the readers of this site and seeking some assistance. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Graeme Boyce


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## ueo (4 Aug 2015)

Try checking with the Grey and Simcoe Foresters Museum in Barrie attn: Curator as he has listings of all casualties overseas for the period. I don't have their web address.


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## George Wallace (4 Aug 2015)

CivilizedGraeme said:
			
		

> I have found via Library and Archives in Ottawa his Officers' Declaration Paper, and also several webpages related to the 81st from an administrative perspective, such as http://cefresearch.ca/matrix/Army%20Corps/Divisions/Reorganized%20Units/Absorbed%20by%20Reserves/81st%20Battalion.htm
> but I cannot seem to locate any information on the actions that wounded and killed Major Bennett. So, I'm reaching out to the readers of this site and seeking some assistance. Any help would be appreciated.



As you have dealt with the Library and Archives in Ottawa, you may want to go back and inquire as to having a look at the unit War Diaries of the 81st Battalion.  They would most likely contain that information.


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## mariomike (4 Aug 2015)

CivilizedGraeme said:
			
		

> Major John Hyde Bennett who enlisted in the 81st Battalion, was wounded, returned to the front and was killed in action in 1916.



Are you sure he was KIA?

1943 retirement story here,
"Col. Bennett started as private, wounded in 1916"
http://news.ourontario.ca/newmarket/115911/page/6

John Hyde Bennett ( 1881 - 1949 )
http://findagrave.org/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=136781723

Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto:
http://image2.findagrave.com/photos/2014/276/136781723_1412406426.jpg


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## Michael OLeary (4 Aug 2015)

John Hyde Bennett's service record has been digitized and can be downloaded from Library and Archives Canada.

Database record: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=38278
PDF link (32 Mb): http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B0650-S029

From a quick review, it appears he was wounded (right thigh, described at page 13 of service record PDF) but was afterwards invalided home with haemorrhoids in 1915 (see page 27 of PDF). He continued to serve in Canada and later served in Siberia (see page 5 of PDF).

His certificate of service can be seen at page 9 of the service record PDF.

Related newspaper clipping:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=22&dat=19180914&id=YzcBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9CgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4795,4138922&hl=en


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## CivilizedGraeme (4 Aug 2015)

Wow. It seems our Major Bennett not only survived after returning to the front, but went on to Siberia and a successful career as a Lt Col, though not as a Designer! This is the scant info - from 1916 - I had previously seen: "Bennett was initiated before Joining the First Canadian Expeditionary Contingent and held his rank of a major he was home on sick leave after being wounded. June 9th the lodge was informed that Major Bennett had been killed in action."


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## Blackadder1916 (5 Aug 2015)

According to his records Lt.-Col Bennett served at the front with the 4th Battalion.  He is listed in the nominal roll of officers of that battalion as a captain in Records of the Fourth Canadian Infantry Battalion in the Great War, 1914-1918.  His entry is notated as having being wounded on 23 Apr 1915 (coincidentally the same date that the battalion's CO was killed).  The battalion had been in France only since late February.  A quick perusal of his records indicates that he did not rejoin the battalion until early Oct of the same year and was there only a short while before his bunghole fell out.

The daily activities of the 4th Battalion during this time can be found in the war diaries of the 4th Battalion which are available here.



			
				CivilizedGraeme said:
			
		

> . . . went on to Siberia and a successful career as a Lt Col, though not as a Designer!  . . . ."



Other than his service during the Great War and again, likely, when he resumed command of the reserve bn of the QYR, Lt Col Bennett was a part-time soldier.  Since nothing in the links found mentioned his civilian career after the war, he could possibly have returned to the same occupation.


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## Blackadder1916 (5 Aug 2015)

Another news clipping in which he is mentioned.  http://collections.museedelhistoire.ca/warclip/objects/common/webmedia.php?irn=5029802

It mentions that he served with the "York Rangers" prior to the Great War.  Among the images available on-line from LAC of the 12th York Rangers is this one of the unit at Niagara Camp in 1913.   http://data2.archives.ca/e/e438/e010932103.jpg


In an 1918 edition of an Officers' List (_go to page 226_), under the 12th Regiment (York Rangers), J.H. Bennett is listed as a Lieutenant with date of rank 11 Sept 13.  It is possible, therefore, that he may be in the photo, though depending on actual date of photo and when he was commissioned, may not be among the officers.


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## Blackadder1916 (6 Aug 2015)

CivilizedGraeme said:
			
		

> . . .  seeking some assistance. Any help would be appreciated.



If you're interested in more information about the gentleman in question, I suggest you contact the The Queen’s York Rangers Museum and Archives.  They may have more details (and possibly photos) about a previous long serving officer and former CO.


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## CivilizedGraeme (7 Aug 2015)

Thanks all. I've sent a note to QYR to see if they might be able to supply a photo to accompany my piece for our newsletter.

Being injured in battle, I'm surprised he never received a medal for his service on the front. 

Again, I might be mistaken, as on his gravestone it does note VD. Very Distinguished?


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## Edward Campbell (7 Aug 2015)

CivilizedGraeme said:
			
		

> Thanks all. I've sent a note to QYR to see if they might be able to supply a photo to accompany my piece for our newsletter.
> 
> Being injured in battle, I'm surprised he never received a medal for his service on the front.
> 
> Again, I might be mistaken, as on his gravestone it does note _VD. Very Distinguished?_



Volunteer Officer's Decoration: awarded between (about) 1880 and 1930.


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## mariomike (7 Aug 2015)

CivilizedGraeme said:
			
		

> a photo



I saw a pic of your individual on page 4 of the Tuesday, Mar 10, 1942 Toronto Star.

I attempted to attach it to this post, but Milnet says the file is too large.

However, you can search it for yourself here,
http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail?R=EDB0111


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## Blackadder1916 (7 Aug 2015)

CivilizedGraeme said:
			
		

> Thanks all. I've sent a note to QYR to see if they might be able to supply a photo to accompany my piece for our newsletter.
> 
> Being injured in battle, I'm surprised he never received a medal for his service on the front.
> 
> Again, I might be mistaken, as on his gravestone it does note VD. Very Distinguished?



Besides the (poorly post-nomialled) Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (_he wouldn't have received the Volunteer Officers' Decoration with similar post-nominals_), for his service in the Great War, Lt Col Bennett should have received "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred".






For his wound he would have been authorized wear of a "Wound Stripe".  While he may have been a very competent officer, the simple act of being wounded did not distinguish him from the other officers (or men) in his battalion during the action in which he received his wound.  During the Second Battle of Ypres in its assault against Mauser Ridge (during which Bennett was likely wounded), the 4th Battalion suffered 18 officer casualties while 487 others ranks were listed as killed, wounded or missing. 

Depending on his military status (i.e. "on active service" and/or "on full-time service") during the Second World War, Lt Col Bennett "may" have also received medals for that service.


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## Michael OLeary (7 Aug 2015)

Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/military-medals-1812-1969/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=1706&

Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers Decoration - V.D.
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/military-medals-1812-1969/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=33547&


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## Blackadder1916 (7 Aug 2015)

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (1935)


> There were 7,500 medals to Canadians, of which 1,154 were to the Canadian Forces. A total of 85,235 were issued.
> 
> In the Canada Gazette Supplement 04 May 1935, all the names of the recipients are listed. This is the only coronation or commemorative medal where this has been done (64 pages).



Canada Gazette Supplement 04 May 1935


> Bennett, Lt.-Col. John Hyde V.D., Toronto, Ont.


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## LizCarnell (7 Oct 2015)

Hello,
Such an interesting thread.

Lt Col John Hyde Bennett was my great uncle, my grandmother's brother, and I have several photographs of him if you're interested in seeing them, as well as other  things like a Christmas card he sent to my grandmother and also a history of the Queen's York Rangers which he compiled. He was an Orangeman like his father before him and was born in Larne, Northern Ireland, where his father John Bennett was superintendent of HM Customs. 

The family moved to Jersey around 1900 where his father had the same job and JHB joined the Jersey Militia. His father died in Belfast around 1909 and I presume JHB, his mother and his sister Agnes Hyde Bennett (my grandmother Nesta), all moved to Toronto. My grandmother returned to England at some stage where she married.

JHB married Mabel Smith of Toronto. I believe her father was the only clergyman who command a destroyer during the First World War. They had no children and on Mabel's death a lot of interesting family documents were sent to my father. He died in 1980 and I now have them.

I've read elsewhere that John Hyde Bennett was killed in 1916 but this is definitely not the case. He died in 1949 and is buried in Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto, along with his mother Annie (Mary Ann, Marianne) Hyde Bennett, my great-grandmother who I think died in Toronto in 1928.

Do please get in touch if you'd like more info.
Liz Carnell
Harrogate,
UK


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