| Full Name: |
Philip Lyell Bennett |
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| Rank Last Held: |
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| Forename(s): |
Philip Lyell |
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| Surname: |
Bennett |
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| War: |
- World War I, 1914-1918
- World War II, 1939-1945
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| Serial No.: |
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| Gender: |
Male |
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| Date of Birth: |
30 March 1898 |
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| Place of Birth: |
Lyell, Buller, New Zealand |
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| First Known Rank: |
- Private
- Captain
- Captain
- Major
- Lieutenant Colonel
- Lieutenant Colonel
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| Occupation before Enlistment: |
- Insurance company employee
- Insurance Manager
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| Next of Kin: |
- John Bennett (father), Murchison, Buller, New Zealand
- Mrs N.M. Bennett (wife), 91 Belt Road, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand
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| Marital Status: |
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| Enlistment Address: |
- Nelson, New Zealand
- 91 Belt Road, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand
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| Enlistment Date: |
18 August 1914 |
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| Age on Enlistment: |
16 |
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| Military District: |
Canterbury |
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| Body on Embarkation: |
- Main Body
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF)
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF)
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF)
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF)
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF), 3rd Divis
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| Embarkation Unit: |
- Canterbury Infantry Battalion
- 25 Battalion
- New Zealand Infantry Brigade
- Headquarters, New Zealand Infantry Brigade
- New Zealand Infantry Brigade
- Headquarters, 3 Division
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| Embarkation Date: |
16 October 1914 |
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| Place of Embarkation: |
Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand |
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| Transport: |
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| Vessel: |
Tahiti or Athenic |
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| Destination: |
Suez, Egypt |
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| Nominal Roll Number: |
- Vol1
- WW2 3
- WW2 7
- WW2 9
- WW2 12
- WW2 14
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| Page on Nominal Roll: |
- 50
- WW2 37
- WW2 15
- WW2 31
- WW2 15
- WW2 10
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| Other Units: |
- Canterbury Regiment
- 25 Battalion
- 14 Infantry Brigade
- 3 NZ Division
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| Campaigns: |
- Gallipoli
- Beandigny Ridge
- Pacific
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| Military Awards: |
- Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
- Military Cross (MC)
- 1914-1915 Star
- British War Medal (1914-1920)
- Victory Medal
- 1939-1945 Star
- Africa Star
- Pacific Star
- Defence Medal
- War Medal 1939-1945
- Mentioned in Despatches (MiD)
- New Zealand War Service Medal
- New Zealand Territorial Service Medal
- Philippine Liberation Ribbon (USA)
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| Award Circumstances: |
- MC: Awarded for actions at Beandigny Ridge, 23 October 1918.
- DSO: NZ Gazette, 7 September 1944. Citation: "For distinguished service in the field. As Assistant Adjutant and Quarter Master General of 3rd New Zealand Division, Lieutenant Colonel Bennett took control of all landing beaches during the operations which resulted in the capture of the Green (Nissan) Islands Group on 15 February 1944. He accompanied the leading troops ashore. His tireless energy, his inspiring example and the skill with which he directed and controlled the unloading operations were largely responsible for the successful landing in dense jungle across completely unprepared beaches of an immense amount of warlike stores. He has moreover rendered very distinguished service in the other operations in which his division was engaged and which resulted in the capture of Vella Lavella and Treasury Islands."
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| Discharge Date: |
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| Last Unit Served: |
- Unknown
- 25 Infantry Battalion
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| Biographical Notes: |
- After WWI ended, Bennett volunteered with the Canterbury Regiment.
- He re-enlisted with 2 NZEF as Captain and Quartermaster (QM) of 25 Battalion, 1940.
- Promoted to Major and Staff Captain of 14 Infantry Brigade, 1942.
- Lieutenant Colonel and Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General (AA & QMG) of 3 NZ Division, 1943-44.
- Member of Special Employment Allied Control Commission SW Pacific Area from February 1945.
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| Postwar Occupation: |
Soldier |
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| Description of Image: |
Portrait, The Weekly News; 6 September 1944 |
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| Further References: |
Haigh, J., and Polaschek, A. (compilers). (1993). New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order. Christchurch, The Authors. |
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| Sources Used: |
- Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume I. Wellington: Govt. Printer, 1914-1919
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force Nominal Roll No. 3 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1940 to 31st March, 1941)
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force Nominal Roll No. 7 (Embarkations from 1st January, 1942 to 31st March, 1942)
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force Nominal Roll No. 9 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1942 to 31st December, 1942)
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force Nominal Roll No. 12 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1943 to 31st December, 1943)
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force Nominal Roll No. 14 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1944 to 31st December, 1944)
- The Weekly News 1944
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