Private Edward James Bennetts
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 6778
- Unit
- 51 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Died of Wounds
- Place of death
- Villers Bretonneux, France
- Date of death
- 30 April 1918
- Age
- 18
- Plaque number
- M595A
- Co-located plaques
- M595 - LCPL Herbert Wilkes
- Dedicated by
- Nephews on 20 November 2010
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private Edward James Bennetts of 51 Battalion was born in June of 1899 at Cottesloe. He was the son of Edward and Elizabeth Bennetts of Addis Street, Kalgoorlie and had a sister.
Edward worked as a shop assist and on leaving school but had an ambition to become a tailor.
As an interest he joined 84 Battalion senior cadets and trained with them until he joined the Australian Imperial Force in February 1917.
Initially he was sent to 28 Battalion before being transferred to 51 Battalion Reinforcements.
He embarked aboard the transport A30 Borda which sailed on 29 June 1917 for Plymouth where the ship arrived on 25 August.
A period of eight months training in trench warfare followed until he was sent to Le Havre France, where he joined the 51 Battalion in the field and was taken on strength on 15 March 1918.
Private Edward James Bennetts, service number 6778 of 51 Battalion AIF, was seriously wounded at Villers Bretonneux on 27 April and subsequently died of his wounds on 30 April 1918. He was 18 years of age.