Name
Elijah William Hemming Benfield
1864
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/09/1920
54
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Farrier Quartermaster Sergeant
T2/SR/02008
Royal Army Service Corps
H. T.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ELSTREE (ST. NICHOLAS) CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Elstree memorials
Pre War
Elijah William Hemming was born in 1864 in Banbury Oxfordshire the son of Amos Benfield and Elizabeth (nee Hemmings). On the 1871 Census the family were living in Battersea, London. Amos was deceased in 1875 and Elizabeth in 1876. On the 1881 Census Elijah was recorded as a Baker and living with Robert Ocakey, a butcher and baker in Aynho, Brackley, Oxon. On the 16 May 1898, married Agnes Hyland, also known as Sophia Agnes Goodgroves, in Farnham Surrey.
Elijah enlisted at Aldershot on 2 May 1887 as Private 7417 and Driver in the Commissariat and Transport Corps. Elijah was promoted to Corporal Farrier smith in Aug 1895 and He served in South Africa with the 35th Army Service Corps from 1899 to 1902 gaining the South Africa Medal (Queens) with 3 Clasps, South Africa Medal (Kings) with 2 Clasps. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant Farrier in Feb 1898. On the 16 May 1898, married Agnes Hyland, also known as Sophia Agnes Goodgroves, in Farnham Surrey. He was discharged following his second period of service on 1 May 1908, receiving a gratuity of £5 for long service and good conduct. He had married Agnes Hyland on 16 May 1898 at Farnham, Surrey. On the 1911 Census Eiljah was living at Elstree Hill Farm Cottage, Elstree with his wife, Agnes. His Occupation was a landscape gardener. The 1913 -1920 Electoral Rolls show him registered in Cottage, Elstree Village, believed to be the same address as 1911 census.
Wartime Service
Elijah attested at Landguard, Felixstowe on 9 Dec 1914 into the Special Reserve, Army Service Corps as Driver T2SR 02008 ( Horse Transport, 2nd New Army) and on 10 Dec 1914 promoted to his old rank of Farrier SSgt or Farrier Quartermaster Sergeant. Elijah gave his wife's address as the Ark, High Street ,Elstree. He was 50 years old and remained in UK for his service at 212 Horse Transport Company, Aldershot and 531 Horse Transport Company, Scarborough (no entitlement to WW1 medals).
Elijah was discharged as unfit for service (Cancer of the Tongue) on 18 Nov 1919 and issued with the Silver War Badge, B346086. He was admitted to Burton Court, Royal Hospital Chelsea on 15 Dec 1919 and died there on 11 Sep 1920.
Additional Information
After his WW1 service was awarded a pension of 27s 6d per week for an initial 71 weeks.
Elijah's is buried in a family grave in Elstree (St. Nicholas) Churchyard his headstone (not CWGC) inscription reads:
ALSO ELIJAH BENFIELD DIED SEPT. 11TH 1920 AGED 56 YEARS.
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
