Charles Basil Bennet
Born 5 Jul 1908 - Died 3 Sept 1978
- Service number
- WWII 38188 AWMM
- Also known as
- Charlie Bennet AWMM
- Charlie Y.M. AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- WW2
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Charles Basil AWMM
- Surname
- Bennet AWMM
- Ingoa
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- Also known as
- Charlie Bennet AWMM
- Charlie Y.M. AWMM
- Service number
- WWII 38188 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
- Undenominational AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 5 Jul 1908 AWMM
- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
- WW2 Pre 06 Nov 1940 AWMM YMCA Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- Hostel Manager, United Maori Mission/Civilian AWMM
- Next of kin
- WW2 Mr T. Bennet (father), 27 Gresham Street, Andersons Bay, Dunedin, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 08 Nov 1940 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- Italy AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWII 38188 AWMM
- Military service
- Otago Mounted Rifles (3 years) AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) (Civil) AWMM
Mr. Bennet of the NZ YMCA has been attached to this unit since the first Libyan campaign. During all this time he has served the men of this unit with absolute devotion and loyalty, and during periods of front-line fighting, with complete disregard for his own personal safety. Mr. Bennett has always been untiring in his efforts to bring cheer to the men, and even when bullets have been flying and shells bursting, Mr. Bennett could be seen on his own vehicle or on a Bren carrier, distributing comforts to the men. The shell-splinters and holes in his vehicle bear witness to the thoroughness with which he did his ob and of the personal courage that he has always displayed.Mr. Bennett has been a great influence in the unit, both spiritually and physically, and has always shown qualities of consideration and courage that have been a great source of inspiration to all the men of his unit. (London Gazette 21/3/1944) AWMM - 1939-1945 Star AWMM
- Africa Star (8th Army clasp) AWMM
- Italy Star AWMM
- Defence Medal AWMM
- War Medal 1939-1945 with oak leaf AWMM
- New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
- Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) (Civil) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- WW2 06 Nov 1940 2NZEF Nom. Roll 3, p.36 Secretary/Civilian 2NZEF Nom. Roll 3, p.36
- Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Mr (YMCA Secretary)/Military 2NZEF Nom. Roll 3, p.36 Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), attached 28 Maori Battalion 2NZEF Nom. Roll 3, p.36 Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Third Echelon AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
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Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW2 8 Nov 1945 AWMM
End of war AWMM - Last rank
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Biographical information
- Son of Thomas and Mary (nee Cochrane) Bennet
During the war, Charles was the driver of the bullet-riddled mobile canteen that followed the 28th Battalion through some torrid Middle East Campaigns. The truck had been bought with the savings by the Maori schoolchildren after the NZ Division lost all its transport to the Germans in Greece. The truck was named Te Rau Aroha, a gift of love. Charlie had countless close calls with shrapnel; even having one piece embed itself in the New Testament that was in his shirt pocket.
Received the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the Middle East 7 April 1944.
Te Rau Aroha was returned to New Zealand and is now fully restored at the Army Museum at Waiouru. It was brought to Auckland for the 28th Maori Battalion Reunion (2010). The truck and the photographs of Charlie, and others from the battalion mostly copied from the lantern slides of the United Maori Mission were displayed before the Memorial Service was held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum
Veterans from the 28 (Maori) Battalion formed a guard of honour and took part in the service at the graveside. Amongst them was Wally Hayward and Muri Thompson. A service sheet for the unveiling was printed and included photographs of the burial service.
The Auckland Museum Library's manuscripts collection holds a notebook attributed to Bennet, listing the Maori schools visited and their physical locations during a tour by the mobile canteen 'Te Rau Aroha' after its return to New Zealand in 1945-46. [Ref. MS 2011/17]
Family portrait on 28 Maori Battalion site AWMM
About death
- Death
- 3 Sept 1978 AWMM
Age 70 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
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- Death notes
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- Cemetery
- Waikaraka Cemetery, 1 Alfred Street, Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM Area 2, Row F, Plot 26 (RSA Section) AWMM
- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Related objects
Sources
- External links
- 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945. Personal page
http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/soldier/charles-basil-bennet
Further Reference - National Army Museum - Te Rau Aroha
http://www.armymuseum.co.nz/military-hardware/museum-collection.html#CanteenTruck
Further Reference - 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945. Te Rau Aroha, the mobile canteen.
http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/memory/te-rau-aroha-the-mobile-canteen
Further Reference - Cody, J.F. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: War History Branch, Dept. of Internal Affairs.
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Maor.html
Further Reference - A short interview with Charlie Bennet can be heard on Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision's online catalogue
https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?record_id=152131
Further Reference - Johnston, Sarah. (2023). “With the boys overseas: How Homefront listeners shaped the work of Aotearoa New Zealand's first battlefront broadcasters”. New Zealand Journal of Public History, 9, 33-58.
https://phanza.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Sarah-Johnston-With-the-Boys-Overseas.pdf
Further Reference - Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington: Dept. of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. Digital copy.
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20210104000423/http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Maor.html
Further Reference
- 28th Maori Battalion Website 1941-1945. Personal page
- References
- Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 12 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1943 to 31st December, 1943). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
WW2 12: WW2 15 - Auckland Museum Armoury Resource Centre, Biographical vertical file
(copy) on file - Bennet, Charles Basil. Road Guide to Native Schools, 1945 - 1946. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2011/17.
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 3 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1940 to 31st March, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
p.36 - Information kindly provided by family
- McClymont, W. (1959). To Greece. Wellington, N.Z.: Department Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
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