HERBERT JAMES BENTLEY

Herbert James Bentley was born in 1885. He was the son of William Henry Bentley, an agricultural labourer born in Nightingale Place, Wanstead, Essex in 1847 and Martha Bentley née Boyton born in Abridge, Essex in 1847. Martha was the daughter of Sophia and William Boyton also an agricultural labourer.

William Henry Bentley was the son of John Bentley born in Steeple Bumstead, Essex in 1805 and Hanna, born in East Hanney, Berkshire in 1805.

William and Martha Bentley married on 12th February 1866 in Woodford Bridge, Essex when they were both 20 years old. By 1911, Martha had given birth to 11 children, although 5 had died. The 6 surviving children were William b1869, George b1874, Ernest b1876, Alice b1879, Herbert James b1885 and Minnie b1887.

In 1871, William and Martha were living in Woodbine Place, Wanstead and William was employed as a domestic gardener. In 1891 the family had moved to Voluntary Place, Wanstead.

It seems that the four Bentley boys were a lively bunch and could be naughty. There is a record in the Vestry Minutes of 29th June 1896 when Herbert was aged 11. It reads, “Mr Whitaker complained of the damage done to the Church windows by the stone throwing of Mrs Bentley’s sons and the secretary was instructed to write Mrs Bentley on the matter.”

In 1901 they were living at 14, Mornington Road, Wanstead. Herbert was now 17 years old and was employed as a domestic coachman.

In 1903, Herbert married Miss Lily Croucher, who was born in Bromley-le-Bow, Middlesex in 1880. Lily was the eldest daughter of Henry James Croucher, a general labourer b1854 in Chigwell, Essex and Sarah Croucher née Lucas b1853 in Barking, Essex. In 1901, the Croucher family lived in Harrow Green, Leyton and Lily was then aged 22 and employed as a shirt maker.

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In 1911, Herbert and Lily were living at 8 and 8a, Laurel Bank, Nightingale Lane, Wanstead. Herbert, aged 27, was employed as a jobbing gardener. The couple now had 3 children, all born in Granville Road, Woodford, Essex. They were Lily born on 6th April 1904, Hilda Alice born in July 1905 and Herbert James born in July 1906.

Herbert did not leave British shores until after January 1916 as records show that he was not awarded the 14/15 Star medal. The Military Service Act was extended in May 1916 to include married men and made enlistment into the armed forces compulsory.

Private 322831, Herbert James Bentley joined 6th Battalion London Regiment City of London Rifles, and later Private 43240, 2nd Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

The 1st and 2nd Battalions Royal Dublin Fusiliers formed part of the 16th (Irish Division). In March 1918 they were in the Somme region of France, manning the line in front of the towns of Epehy and Ronssoy.

At 4.40am on 21st March 1918, the Germans launched the ‘last gasp’ offensive that came to be known as the Kaiserschlacht, the ‘Kaiser’s Battle’. The Germans began an intense bombardment of 1.16 million shells over an 80km front in a 5 hour period - over 3000 shells both explosive and gas every minute. At dawn a thick mist reduced visibility to 25 metres. At 9.35 am, 500,000 Germans advanced through the mist. During the day, the shattered remnants of the Dublins withstood the attack but the Germans broke through, surrounded Ronssoy, and threatened the Dublins from the rear. At midnight, the 1st Battalion withdrew and they were missing about 600 men. The 2nd Battalion also withdrew and held a position behind the lines until relieved at 4 am on the 22nd March. Only 7 officers and 200 men were all that was left of the 2nd Battalion.

Herbert was killed in that action on the 21st March 1918 aged 35. His body was not recovered so he is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial (Panel 79 and 80) Department de la Somme, Picardie, in France. He is also commemorated on the Great War Memorial inside Wanstead United Reformed Church and the War Memorial in Wanstead High Street.

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Herbert Bentley’s Medal Record Card

Herbert earned the War and Victory Medals which were sent to his widow Lily Bentley.

In 1918 Herbert’s parents, William Henry and Martha Bentley were living at “The Cottage”, Woodlands, Cambridge Park Road, Wanstead, Essex.

In 1918, Lily was living with their 3 children at 4, Gilbert Street in Stratford, Essex. Lily Bentley did not re-marry and she died aged 56 in Bishops Stortford, Herts in March 1936.

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The Book of Ireland’s Memorial Record for the Great War. Herbert is listed (Top Left) as he was in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

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Herbert and Lily’s children all married; Lily junior married John Ethelred Wheeler in 1924 and they had 3 children. Lily died in 1957 in Woodford Green, Essex aged 53.

Herbert Bentley married Margaret Poole in Islington in 1931. They had a son and a daughter. Herbert died in 1971 aged 65.

Hilda Alice Bentley married George William Tanner in May 1931. She died in Stratford, Essex in 1947 aged 42.

Herbert James Bentley’s eldest child Lily Wheeler with her son Harold Wheeler (1930-1962)

(Photo courtesy of Maggie and Peter Biggs)

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The Family Story

The family story has been kindly provided by Maggie and Peter Biggs. Maggie is Herbert and Lily Bentley’s granddaughter and the daughter of their eldest child, also called Lily, who was born in 1904.

“We know the Bentley’s lived in Wanstead from the early 1800’s. In fact Maggie’s great grandfather, William Henry Bentley born 1846 lived in Woodbine Place in the 1870’s.

Herbert and Lily were married in 1903 and they lived in Granville Road, South Woodford where all their children were born. They then moved to Laurel Bank, Nightingale Lane, in Wanstead.

In 1918, Maggie’s newly widowed grandmother Lily and her children moved back into Woodbine Place .

Maggie’s mother Lily gave birth to an illegitimate daughter in 1921 when she was 18 years old; the father was unknown. The child was called Hilda Alice Maud Bentley. Two years later, in 1924, Lily married John Ethelred Wheeler and all three of their children, John born in 1926, Harold in 1930 and Margaret (Maggie) in 1947 were all born in Woodbine Place.

The Wheeler Family moved to Woodford in 1947 after Maggie’s birth. Hilda lived with the family until just before the Second World War. Sadly the family lost contact with Hilda in the following years, which has always been something of a mystery to them.”

Every effort has been made to contact all copyright holders of the material in the profiles of these young men. We will be glad to make good any errors or omissions brought to our attention.

You may download this resource at no cost for personal use as long as you are not publishing it for sale. All we ask is that you acknowledge the source of this material.

Margaretha Pollitt Brown for Wanstead United Reformed Church.

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