Thomas Benton was a patient at Hickwells in August 1915.  His entry in Nurse Oliver’s album reads:

 

Pte T Benton

No 86771

41st Signal Coy

Royal Engineers                        

 

August 5th 1915

 

He shares this page with entries from L Reed and 20491 Private William Holt of the 20th London Regiment.

 

Private Benton’s medal index card at The National Archives indicates that he has the middle initial S.  There is a four year old Thomas S Benton listed on the 1901 census return for Cottenham, Cambridgeshire (also born in Cottenham) who is probably Thomas Stanley Benton (birth registered in the June 1897 quarter at Chesterton, Cambridgeshire).  Further research is necessary however to identify whether Nurse Oliver’s Benton is the same man who was born in Cottenham.

 

Information regarding the composition of a Signals’ Company can be viewed on The Long, Long Trail website, here.

 

 

Sources and Acknowledgements

 

• England & Wales Civil Registration Index 1837-1983
• 1901 Census of England and Wales
• The Long. Long Trail