BENTLEY, John Trewella
| Service Numbers: | 4872, 2584 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 May 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 30th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | DUBBO, NSW, 23 October 1899 |
| Home Town: | Harris Park, City of Parramatta, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Dubbo Public School and Cowra Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Engineering worker |
| Died: | Natural causes, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, 23 December 1937, aged 38 years |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 18 May 1915: | Enlisted Royal Australian Navy, Boy, 4872 | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Aug 1915: | Discharged Royal Australian Navy, Boy, 4872, Royal Australian Navy | |
| 8 Feb 1916: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2584, 30th Infantry Battalion, Liverpool | |
| 8 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2584, 30th Infantry Battalion | |
| 9 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 2584, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 2584, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Nestor, Sydney | |
| 2 Oct 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 30th Infantry Battalion | |
| 29 Apr 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 30th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 May 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2584, 30th Infantry Battalion, Gassed | |
| 1 Apr 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2584, 30th Infantry Battalion, HT Shropshire, England for invaliding to Australia - disembarking Melbourne 16 May 1919, then by train to Sydney arriving 17 May 1919 | |
| 2 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2584, 30th Infantry Battalion, Medically unfit |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Kearney
The Newcastle Sun reported on 21 August 1931 that, from private soldier to battalion commander in 13 years is the record of Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. Bentley, CO of the 35th Battalion (Newcastle's Own), whose promotion from Major was announced in the Commonwealth Gazette and dates from July 1, 1930.
Born on 23 October 1899, John Trewella Bentley was the eldest of three children to William John Arthur Bentley, a school master and Ada Matilda Trewella, an accomplished musician. He spent his younger years in the central west of New South Wales being educated at Dubbo and Cowra.
Colonel Bentley enlisted in the 5th reinforcements of the 30th Battalion early in 1916, at an age when most boys are just leaving school — 16 years. At the time of enlistment he was employed at the Clyde Engineering works, having previously served, briefly, in the Royal Australian Navy during 1915.
Between 1916 and 1919 he saw service with the 30th Battalion in Egypt, France and Belgium. For a period, during the hottest part of the fighting on the Western front, he was a runner, and later was attached to the Intelligence Staff. His first promotion, to Lance Corporal, came out in orders while the 30th Battalion was in the front line at Polygon Wood in 1917. One year later he was promoted to Sergeant, receiving word of the gazettal while in hospital, gassed, in London. The battalion was then in action at Hamelet, near Corbie, France. His mother, Ada Bentley was so inspired by her son's war service with the 30th, that she wrote the "War song of the 30th Battalion".
After returning to Australia, John Bentley married May Clarke in Sydney in 1919 - they were to have seven children. He also had a son from another relationship in 1932.
Continuing his military interest, Colonel Bentley joined the 20th Battalion A.M.F. He was then transferred to the 3rd and 2nd Battalions. He joined 'Newcastle's Own' with the rank of lieutenant in 1924, and was promoted successively to Captain and Major. At the early age of 30, he was in command of the battalion.
When the Governor-General (Lord Stonehaven) arrived in Sydney in September, 1926, the 35th Battalion was in Liverpool Camp, and Colonel Bentley (then Captain) was given the command of the Guard of Honor, made up of members of the 35th, which met the Governor-General on Central Station. This was the first time in the history of the A.M.F. that a guard of honor to welcome a representative of the King had been drawn from the Citizen Forces. The 35th Battalion Band was also in attendance to welcome Lord Stonehaven.
Colonel Bentley's appointment to commanding officer of the 35th Battalion was a popular one among oflicers, staff and men, and thus his stated wish to keep the unit the crack battalion of the 1st Brigade was fulfilled.
Lieutenant-Colonel Bentley relinquished command of the 33/35 Battalion in August 1931 and was transferred to the Reserve of Officers.
In 1936 he became the State Administrator of the Elim Four-Square Church of Australia in Western Australia, taking a high profile role as an evangelist. In late 1937 major issues arose within the church at Fremantle and his health deteriorated significantly. He died in Perth on 23 December 1937 and was buried in the Elim Four-Square portion of Karrakatta Cemetery.
Reference:
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news article164233368
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