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Cenotaph record

James Michael Benyon

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Lay a poppy
Death Notice, Greymouth Evening Star, 23 October 1985

James Michael Benyon

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    James Michael AWMM
  • Surname
    Benyon AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    • J. M. Benyon AWMM
    • Jim AWMM
  • Service number
    • Vietnam 802262 AWMM
    • Malaya 802262 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    24 March 1933 AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • British Empire Medal (BEM) AWMM
      NZ Gazette Number 39 dated 22 June 1967 (QB June 1967): Sergeant Benyon enlisted in the New Zealand Army in 1959. He served in the Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps in New Zealand until posted for service with the New Zealand Infantry Battalion in Malaysia in 1961. Sergeant Benyon served as Unit Regimental Aid Post Sergeant in Malaysia until his return to New Zealand in November 1963. In July 1965 he was again posted for service overseas, this time in Vietnam with 161st Battery Royal New Zealand Artillery, in the appointment of Battery Nursing Orderly. On arrival in South Vietnam Sergeant Benyon was responsible for coordinating medical services with United States facilities in order that adequate medical cover could be established for 161st Battery to meet the extreme health hazards anticipated in the theatre. The very low sickness rate experienced during the Battery’s tour of duty can be largely attributed to Sergeant Benyon’s efficient and never ending efforts in arranging the initial cover and subsequent supervision. In addition to his normal daily duties Sergeant Benyon has borne the main responsibility for arranging a New Zealand contribution to local civic aid programmes in both Bien Hoa and Baria. In these duties he has given unsparingly of his time and has treated some 5,000 patients, most of them children, who otherwise would have had no medical facilities available to them. Through his professional ability, quiet efficiency and unstinted concern for the welfare of others, Sergeant Benyon has gained the confidence of all members of 161st Battery and the admiration of all other officers and men who have been associated with him. His outstanding work in this theatre has undoubtedly done much to enhance the reputation of New Zealand in the eyes of the Allied Forces and the South Vietnamese people. His willingness to accept responsibilities beyond the call of normal duty and the efficient performance of his duties have served as an excellent example to all and reflected great credit to himself and to the New Zealand Army as a whole. AWMM
    • New Zealand Operational Service Medal AWMM
    • Vietnam Medal AWMM
    • New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike) (Vietnam clasp) AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Read citation for BEM gazetted QB 1967. AWMM

Death

About death

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  • Death
    20 October 1985 Ministry for Culture and Heritage
    China, Asia AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Greymouth Cemetery AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Subritsky, M. (Ed). (1995). The Vietnam scrapbook: The second ANZAC adventure. Papakura, N.Z.: Three Feathers Publishing Co. AWMM
    • Hall, C. (2014). No front line : inside stories of New Zealand's Vietnam War. Auckland, New Zealand : Penguin Books. AWMM
    • This record was created from data kindly provided by the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. AWMM
    • 1NZR Roll 1961-1963 - Bill Russell, Malayan Veterans Association Scrapbook – 40th Anniversary edition. AWMM
    • DECEASED, 1 NZ Regiment, 1961-63 – Internet resource. AWMM
    • This record was partially created from Cemetery research completed by Carol Foster (2021). AWMM

Contributors

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27 February 2021CarolHavelock NorthOther

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