Whilst attending a wedding fairly locally, one what was getting seriously boring I was looking around the church walls to try and find some World War One memorials. These often tell a tale of the tragedy occuring in that village, lo and behold my eyes came across a memorial to the Village curate who died of wounds 17-8-16.  This intruiged me, there weren't many clegymen killed in the war, there must be a story behind it, co-incidentally my home town of Ashford lost it's curate in the war when a hospital ship was torpedoed, so I set to work and unravelled quite an unusual story.

    Capt. Benton originally joined the Royal Marine Artillery at the turn of the century and settled in well, he was a popular figure and was known as an excellent cricketer. When on a tour of duty he deserted, the reason I haven't been able to ascertain and fled to Robben Island and became a painter. Whilst there he became more interested in christianity and it was Father Engleheart the chaplain in charge of the leper colony on Robben island who persuaded Benton to return the the Marines and give himself up. Benton did this and was pardoned, he immediately took up holy orders and became the Curate in charge of Bearstead near Maidstone.

    In September 1914 Benton went out to France as Chaplain to the forces , I have been unable to ascertain which regiment he was attached to. However in January 1915 an event took place which changed his life. The Germans mounted a night attack and during this attack Benton killed a German soldier in his trench. Having done this he decided that he could no longer continue as a chaplain and resigned and returned home to enlist as a combatant. He returned toFrance as an officer in the 12th Battalion Manchester Regiment. After an attack on the German line in mid August a wounded man was trying to crawl back to the British lines, Benton went out to get him. He put the man on his back and tried to come in with him, however he attracted all the attention of the German snipers and machine gunners, within seconds the wounded man was killed and Benton was badly wounded in a leg and arm. After two days lying in a shell hole he managed to get back and was taken to a dressing station. He underwent two operations in which his right leg was amputated, on the 17th of April he died of his wounds. he is buried in Heilly Station cemetery which was the railhead next to the feild hospital. The battle of the somme was at it's highest then and many wounded were put back to Heilly station and died there at such a rate that they were buried three deep in trenches. If you go there as I have you will find many gravestones from that period with three names to each stone and no regimental crest, these are mounted on a wall inside the cemetery gate. Benton lies amongst these men. His commanding officer wrote of him-" I consider him the gallantest gentleman in the world. He went forward at my orders to try and re organise an attack that had failed, and in endevouring to save a comrade who was wounded near the German trenches , they were both hit by snipers. He was hit at 5 o clock in the morning, and was brought in the day afterwards. I have known him only for four weeks ; but I have come to almost worship him for what he is,and that is, the finest manliest man I have ever known".

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