PRIVATE HAROLD ROY BENZLEY
AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY
6TH AUGUST 1916 AGE 20
BURIED: PUCHEVILLERS BRITISH CEMETERY, FRANCE
This Australian hero, a clerk from Sunbury, Victoria, enlisted on 12 May 1915 and embarked from Melbourne for Egypt on 16 July 1915. He was on board the Southland when it was torpedoed in the Aegean by UB-14 whilst en route to Gallipoli from Egypt on 2 September 1915.
He eventually landed on Gallipoli and his war record reads:
"admitted to 6th Australian Field Ambulance, Anzac, 31 October 1915 (influenza); transferred to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, Anzac, 3 November 1915 (enteric); evacuated and disembarked Alexandria, 9 November 1915; admitted to No 15 General Hospital, Alexandria, 9 November 1915; proceeded to England, 16 November 1915; admitted to County of London War Hospital, Epsom, England, 27 November 1915. Proceeded overseas to France, 7 June 1916; marched into 2nd Australian Division Base Depot, Etaples, France, 8 June 1916."
Two months later he was "admitted at this station (3rd Casualty Clearing Station) 6th August 1916 suffering from gun shot wounds head, with compound fracture of skull. He died the same day".
A hero may be defined as someone who is admired for their courage and their brave deeds, but never forget R.C. Sherriff's definition in Journey's End. The main character, Captain Stanhope, is perceived to be a hero but as he openly confesses to Hibbert, "Sometimes I feel I could just lie down on this bed and pretend I was paralysed or something - and couldn't move - and just lie there till I died - or was dragged away." But others are sticking it so we have to too. "Don't you think it worth standing in with men like that? - when you know they all feel like you do - in their hearts - and just go on sticking it because they know it's - it's the only thing a decent man can do."
Brave deeds or sticking it - either way, those who fought deserve the appellation 'hero'.