Captain John Paul Barkell Bennett, M.C., Royal Engineers, was killed in action near Bremen on April 24th, 1945, at the age of 26.
He was educated at Truro School, Cornwall, from 1926 to 1936, and then entered the Camborne School of Mines, leaving in 1939 with the A.C.S.M.
He was called up in September, 1939, and drafted into the Royal Artillery, but in December was recommended for a commission in the Royal Engineers, and after a six-months’ course at the O.C.T.U. at Aldershot was commissioned in June, 1940, and posted to a Tunnelling Company.
In March, 1941, he was sent to Gibraltar with the 170 Tunnelling Coy., but returned to England in November, 1943, and volunteered for the assault troops, and after training was posted to France in July, 1944. He saw service in all the major battles from Caen through France, Belgium, Holland and into Germany. At Walcheren Island he won the M.O. for gallantry, driving a burning tank filled with ammunition into the sea and so saving many lives.
Captain Bennett was killed outside Bremen in practically the last battle of the war, just two weeks before the cessation of hostilities. His tank struck a mine hidden in the road and all the crew were killed.
He was elected a Student of the Institution in 1938.
Vol. 55, Trans I.M.M. 1945-6, p. 562
