Nat Gould

John Bennington 1896-1916

John Bennington with his grandfather 1900

John Bennington was born at Milldale, Staffordshire in 1896. He was the son of Alice Bennington 1876-1949.

He was brought up at Milldale by his grandparents John Murrell Bennington 1828-1901 and his wife Hannah Bennington nee Austin. In 1901 he was living at Milldale with his then widowed grandfather and his aunt Annie Bennington 1869-1950 who was keeping house for them. After his grandfather died in 1901, he went to live with his mother at Woolley Moor near Alfreton.

When the First World War broke out he enlisted at Alfreton in the 1st Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire amd Derbyshire Regiment) No. 14009. He was posted to Bombay on 4 August 1914, but returned from from India embarking on 3 September 1914 and landing at Plymouth on 2 October 1914. John Bunting was transferred to the 24th Brigade of the 8th Division at Hursley Park near Winchester in Hampshire, and sent to the Western Front.

He disembarked at Le Havre in France on 5 November 1914. From 18 October he served with the 24th Brigade. He was posted to the 23rd Division from 15 July 1916 with the 24th Brigade, and returned to the 8th Division with his brigade at Bermissart near Mons in Belgium.

He was severely wounded and taken to the military hospital at Etaples for transfer to England, but died there of his injuries on 11 August 1916.