R C Benson QX61294

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Reginald Clarence BENSON

Service number: QX61294.  Age: 18 years 7 months.  Enlisted: 22 May 1942.

Occupation: Fisherman.  Next of kin: (father) Mr Reginald A. Benson.

Address on enlistment:  Donnybrook.

 15 Sep 1944, Lae Markham River area, Nadzab, New Guinea. Personnel of 

2 Mountain Battery waiting for their mess parade.[1]

Gunner R.C. Benson in centre.

Service Summary:

22 Jun 1942: Q127437 – Full time CMF duty. Posted Queensland L of C Area at Brisbane, Goondiwindi and Tenterfield.

16 Nov 1943: 1 Australian Field Artillery Training Regiment.

3 Jan 1944: Embarked from Townsville on Reinjst to Lae.

6 Feb 1944: Taken on strength Reinforcement Depot, 2 Australian Mountain Battery (Artillery).

24 Jun 1944: Transfer to AIF, allotted no. QX61294.

8 Jan 1945: Embarked from Townsville on Fairlie to Bougainville.

“In August 1943 A Field Battery was reorganized to form the 2nd Australian Mountain Battery, and it arrived in New Guinea in September of that year. The battery served in New Guinea from 1943–1944, subsequently moving to Bougainville, British Solomon Islands for operations until the end of the war in August 1945.”[2]

8 Jan 1946: Returned to Australia from Rabaul on Salangau to Sydney.

31 Jan 1946: Discharged.

Life Summary:

Reginald Clarence Benson, born 6 Oct 1923 at Childers was the eldest son of Reginald Allan Benson (1899-1944) and Fanny Crosswell (1897-1968). 

After his military service, Reginald Benson returned to Donnybrook and continued his work as a fisherman. In Jan 1949 he married Ellen Grace Rudken (1928-2003) and they lived at Donnybrook and later farmed at Caboolture. 

Reginald Benson died 21 Jan 1994, aged 70 and is remembered on a memorial plaque at Woodford General Cemetery.[3]

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[1] Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial 076006 https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C76723

[2] Source: A Field Battery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Field_Battery,_Royal_Australian_Artillery

[3] Source: South-East Queensland cemeteries headstone photo collection http://www.chapelhill.homeip.net/FamilyHistory/Photos/index.htm