Category: Military
Rank: 2nd Air Mechanic
Regiment or Ship: Royal Flying Corps
Service Number(s): 59245
Occupation: Electrician (from Service records)
Date of Birth: 11.04.1898
Place of Birth: Bexhill,-on-Sea, Sussex
Date of Death: 1976
Place of Death: Bexhill, Sussex
Place of Burial / Memorials:
Not known
Address: 8 Western Road, Bexhill
Photos and newspaper articles
Click on any image to see a larger version
Family Information
Parents: Charles and Ada Bennett – Charles Bennett married Ada Alice Jackson in the district of Kensington, in 1889. He was born in Clapham, Surrey in 1862 and Ada, in 1867, in Kensington, London. At the time of the 1911 Census, Charles was a plumber and decorator while Ada was “assisting in the business”.
Siblings:
Charles Bennett, born 1863, in Clapham, Surrey
Ada Alice Bennett, born 1868, in South Kensington, London
Sydney Charles Jackson Bennett, born 1893, in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire W0195 BENNETT Sydney Charles Jackson
Gwendoline Bennett, born 1894, in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Hilda Bennett, born 1896, in Upton Park, London E.
Stanley Frederick Jackson Bennett married Margaret Amelia Rȃm Dîn (1895 – 1981) in 1922, in Bexhill. (Please see end of First World War Experience for more details about Margaret.)
The Hindu name (including the letters ‘ȃ’ and ‘î’ with the symbols above) is formed from the name of their god Rȃm, followed by the word “Dȋn” which means “provided by”; in other words, the child was “provided by the god Rȃm”.
No children have been found of this marriage.
Interestingly, Margaret’s father was an Arthur Marius Rȃm-Dîn, born about 1858 in India, just at the time that India became a British Colony. From his name, he was a Hindu and must have moved to Britain at some time following that date as he married a Rebecca Maria Brown in 1888, in Surrey. All his children were born in England, with two boys and two girls being born in Bexhill.
First World War Experience
From the “Bexhill Chronicle”, 6th October 1917
“Very many in Bexhill will be interested in our portrait, which is of 2nd Air Mechanic Stanley Bennett, son of Mr and Mrs C. Bennett, of 8, Western Road. He is now in Canada with the R.F.C., being one of the men selected as instructor in telephony (mechanical branches). He is at present instructing the new Canadian troops.”
So, by October 1917, Stanley, as part of the Royal Flying Corps, was instructing Canadians in the use of wireless communications with the ground but why was he in Canada?
As the war progressed, Britain realized that more trained aircrews were needed but we, also, needed more training facilities, which gave us a space problem. The idea came about that we could open air training establishments in Canada, where there was that space, and train the men we needed, over there. Following much negotiation, the Canadian Government agreed and several training stations were set up, and Stanley was sent to Canada, as part of the R.F.C.
Stanley was a part of the Kite Balloon Section. This method of aerial warfare involved a hot air balloon, looking something like a World War 2 barrage balloon. The Balloon was an air observation post and was used for artillery spotting. Communications between the crew and the ground was by wireless and this is where Stanley’s expertise came in as he was posted to Canada as wireless telephony instructor.
The Royal Flying Corps was merged into the Royal Air Force in 1918 and from his RAF service record he is noted as being at No 4 School of Military Aeronautics. This School was based at the University of Toronto. So it appears to be schoolroom based instruction. In December 1918 when all is being wrapped up he goes to Reception Depot Canada for processing for return to the UK. The Disposal Area mentioned in his record might be back in the UK.
In later life Stanley signed up again just prior to World War 2 as an Aircraftman 2nd Class [army equivalent: Private] and continued his trade as a Telephone Operator.
Stanley’s service records give the following description of him.
Height: 5 feet 5 1/2 inches Chest: 31 1/2 inches Hair colour: Mouse Eyes: Brown
Complexion: Fair Marks, Wounds or Scars: Mole Right Forearm
Additional Information
Interestingly, Margaret’s father was an Arthur Marius Rȃm-Dîn, born about 1858 in India, just at the time that India became a British Colony. From his name, he was a Hindu and must have moved to Britain at some time following that date as he married a Rebecca Maria Brown in 1888, in Surrey. All his children were born in England, with two boys and two girls being born in Bexhill.
The Hindu name (including the letters ‘ȃ’ and ‘î’ with the symbols above) is formed from the name of their god Rȃm, followed by the word “Dȋn” which means “provided by”; in other words, the child was “provided by the god Rȃm”.