| Benson | George Elliott | | Colonel | He died October 31st, 1901, of wounds received in action near Brakenlaagte. He was the son of William Benson Allerwash, Northumberland, was born in May 1861, and educated at Harrow. He entered the Royal Artillery as a Lieutenant in 1880, being promoted Captain July 1888, Brevet Major March 1896, Major February 1898, brevet Lieutenant Colonel November 1900, and Colonel May 1901. He served in the Soudan Campaign, 1885, and was present at the engagement of Hasheen (slightly wounded), and at the destruction of Tamai, receiving the medal with clasp, and the Khedive's star. His next experience of active service was with the expedition to Ashanti, under Sir Francis Scott, in 1895, when he received the brevet of Major and the star. He also served with the Dongola Expeditionary Force under Lord (then Sir Herbert) Kitchener, in 1896, as Brigade Major, Mounted Corps, until invalided, including the engagement at Firket and the operations at Hafir, being mentioned in despatches, and receiving the Fourth Class of the Order of the Osmanieh, and the Khedive's medal with two clasps. He was also in the Nile Expedition of 1898, in command of a force on special service in Kassala district, and was awarded the medal. He was Brigade Major Royal Artillery at Aldershot from January 1st, 1892, to December 31st, 1894. Colonel Benson was selected for special service in South Africa, and served with the Kimberley Relief Force under Lieutenant General Lord Methuen. After the battle of Modder River, he took the place of Lieutenant Colonel Northcott, who had been killed, as DAAG, was present at the action of Magersfontein, and the relief of Kimberley. At Magersfontein he guided the Highland Brigade during the night march, and with unerring accuracy to the point of the hill he had previously at great personal risk reconnoitred. He was mentioned in despatches March 1900, and November of that year, and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel November 29, 1900. A few weeks later he was appointed staff officer to the Rustenburg command, and in May 1901, was given local rank as colonel. The column which he commanded was attacked on October 31st, in a deluge of mist and blinding rain. The Boers under Louis Botha, Grobler and Oppermann in overwhelming numbers, swept down on a ridge held by the rearguard of Colonel Benson's force, and here 123 men out of a total of 160 fell. Colonel Benson, who at once went to the point of danger, was twice wounded; but continued to give his orders directing and exhorting those under him to hold out. In this engagement, in addition to Colonel Benson, twelve other officers were killed and sixteen wounded, but the main body and the convoy were saved. This action has been described as one of the most hotly contested and desperate of the campaign.
Source: Donner | Royal Artillery |
