George Bentall
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George Bentall was born in Felstead in the last quarter of 1894. George was the son of Mr Harry & Mrs Ellen Bentall.
In 1901 the family lived near Garnetts.
In 1911 the census records the family at Bootwood, Felstead: Another son, John Bentall, was born later. He went on to serve as a Colour Sergeant with the Royal Marines, and later to work on the trans Canadian railway. George Bentall enlisted at Warley and served as Private soldier 14637 with the 10th Battalion the Essex Regiment. |
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Family members were told that George and his fellow soldiers, who were fighting on the Somme, had gathered round one of the new tanks, which were a novelty, when a shell exploded and killed everyone. This may well be true as the first tank was used in the war on 15th September 1916.
He died aged 22 on 26th September 1916. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
In the Essex Weekly News of 28th September 1917 Harry and Ellen placed an 'In Memoriam' item:
In ever-loving memory of our dear son GEORGE BENTALL, Essex Regt. killed
in action in France Sept 26th, 1916, aged 22 years.
Deep in our hearts he liveth still.