LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Private Benjamin James Penfold
2nd Bn The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
Pte
Benjamin J
Penfold
2nd Royal West
Surrey Regt
Loos
Sept 13 1918 [sic]
Benjamin Penfold was actually killed on 13th September 1915 and not
1918. This is confirmed by both the War Memorial within the Parish
Church of St Mary and St Nicholas and the Parish Magazine which is
contemporaneous.
The regimental records of the Queens show that Benjamin Penfold was
born in Leatherhead and enlisted at Kingston upon Thames. They also
confirm his service with the 2nd battalion of the Queens. (1)
The War Diary of the 2nd Queens (2) merely states that the German
'morning hate' (ie shelling) lasted from 7am until 9am and that six
Other Ranks were killed and nine wounded. One of the dead must have been
Benjamin Penfold.
The Diary also observed 'Our F.A. (Field Artillery) registered between
3pm and 6pm when the sun was behind us in the West'.
Notes on Sources
(1) Regimental records of the Queens, Clinton Park, Surrey
(2) File WO95-1664 War Diary 2nd Bn The Queens: Public Record Office,
Kew, Richmond
NB see also Pte Leonard G Penfold 24 Oct 1914
Further research
PRIVATE
BENJAMIN JAMES PENFOLD
Service Number: 10485
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd Bn.
Died 13 September 1915
Buried or commemorated at
VERMELLES
BRITISH CEMETERY
I. F. 27.
France
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 6 November 1915
LEATHERHEAD AND THE WAR
LEATHERHEAD FAMILIES AT THE FRONT
ANOTHER LEATHERHEAD MAN KILLED
DEATH OF PRIVATE B PENFOLD.
Mr. Henry Penfold, of Leatherhead has also had four sons serving
with the Army, but it is feared that two of them have lost their
lives. |
 |
PRIVATE B. PENFOLD.
Pte. Benjamin Penfold, of the 2nd Batt. Royal West
Surrey Regt., went out with the Expeditionary Force, and never had any
leave. He went through the battles of Mons. Marne, and later engagements,
and escaped injury until the 13th of September last, when he fell in the
trenches.
The chaplain of his battalion
wrote the following letter: "It is with deepest regret and sympathy that I
have to inform you of the death from shell fire while in the trenches of
your son. It will be some comfort and consolation for you to know that has
been laid to rest after his long warfare in a cemetery where his cross
marked with the name of his regiment. The full service of his Church was
read by me.”
Pte. Leonard
Penfold, of 1st Batt Royal West Surrey Regiment, also went
France with the first Expeditionary Force, having been in the Army some
time. In October last notification was received from the War Office that
he was missing and since then his sister, Mrs. Tutt, of Fetcham (who
brought up the boys after the death of their mother) had heard from Corpl.
Chapman of the same regiment that he saw Pte. Leonard Penfold killed in
action.
Driver Arthur Penfold and Driver
Sydney Penfold are twin brothers, and they enlisted together in the Royal
Field Artillery about five years ago, and have consecutive numbers. Both
have been in active service in France ever since the outbreak of
hostilities, and fortunately both have so far escaped injury.
For more on the story of Benjamin Penfold please see his
brother Pte.
Leonard Penfold's page and his story
page on the excellent Epsom & Ewell Explorer website, for
he is also on the Epsom War Memorial.
Note that his headstone (but not his CWGC record) give his intials as
B(enjamin) T(homas) - he seems to have used both James and Thomas.
Benjamin Penfold is also remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of
Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish
Church
Church Lads Brigade Memorial
Tryptich, All Saints Leatherhead
Surrey
in the Great War
Epsom
Cemetery Entrance War Memorial Cross, Ashley Road
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
last updated 18 Nov 20