Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Bentley, born 1845 in Thurmaston, Leicestershire and his wife Ann Hammonds Bentley (nee Hammonds Pole, married on the 17th July 1865 in St. Michael & All Angel’s Church, Thurmaston), born in the 1st quarter of 1846 in Thurmaston (The daughter of Frederick Hammonds Pole and Mary Hartopp). Tom (Thomas) was born in the 3rd quarter of 1875 in Thurmaston. Tom’s father died in the 3rd quarter of 1877 in Leicester, aged 32. In April 1881 he was residing in the family home at Canal Street, Thurmaston, together with his widowed mother, a hosiery trade seamer, and siblings, Mary Ann, a cotton winder, born in the 4th quarter of 1865 and baptised on the 9th January 1866, George, a brickyard labourer, born in the 4th quarter of 1867 and baptised on the 7th June 1868 in St. Michael & All Angel’s Church, Thurmaston, Alfred, a schoolboy, born in the 1st quarter of 1871 and baptised on the 30th March 1872 in St. Michael & All Angel’s Church, Thurmaston and Emma, born in the 2nd quarter of 1873 and baptised on the 26th October 1873 in St. Michael & All Angel’s Church, Thurmaston, all his siblings were born in Thurmaston. Tom’s mother died in the 4th quarter of 1889 in Thurmaston, aged 43. In April 1891 Thomas was employed as a shoe trade finisher and was residing in the family home at Harrison Cottages, Main Street, Thurmaston, together with his siblings, George, a labourer and Emma a Griswold knitter. In March 1901 Thomas was employed as a brick burner and was residing in the family home at Bath Street, Syston, Leicestershire, together with his wife, Mary Ann Bentley (nee Preston, married on the 26th December 1896 in St. Peter & Paul’s Church, Syston), born on the 5th September 1876 in Nottingham and their daughter Maud Evelyn, born in the 3rd quarter of 1898 in Thurmaston and baptised on the 4th December 1898 in St. Michael & All Angel’s Church, Thurmaston. In April 1911 Thomas was employed as a brick burner and was residing in the family home at Glebe Farm Cottages, Awsworth, Nottinghamshire, together with his wife and children, Maud, Maggie Irene, born on the 18th November 1901 in Syston and baptised on the 17th December 1901 in St. Peter & Paul’s Church, Syston and Lily Emma, born on the 18th September 1906 in Scalford, Leicestershire. Thomas and Mary also had another daughter, Edna Rose, born on the 29th June 1912 in Nottinghamshire.
Tom’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted in Leicester into the Leicestershire Regiment, and was allotted the service number 21161, and posted as a Private to that Regiment’s Depot for training. It is unclear which Battalion he was posted to on the completion of his training, nor is known when he first entered the theatre of war in France, however as he was not recorded on the medal rolls for the 1914-15 Star, it must be assumed that it was at some time after the 31st December 1915. Nothing further is known of his military service until he was reported missing in action on the 17th July 1916, no further news of his fate being forthcoming, he was officially recorded as presumed to have died on or since that date. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Tom was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. On the 19th March 1917, Tom’s widow Mary was awarded a weekly Army Pension for herself and her three children of twenty three shillings.
The War Diary records: 14-17 July-16 - FRICOURT. The 110th Brigade attacked and captured BAZENTIN – LE – PETIT WOOD and village and held same. Appendix I. The action attached.
Narrative of action of the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment from 3.00am 14/7/16 to 8.00am 17/7/16.
The Battalion moved from FRICOURT WOOD via the southern and eastern edge of MAMETZ WOOD and reached the north east corner of this wood just before 3.00am. The Battalion was formed in four lines by 3.15am under a fairly heavy bombardment and lined up with the 7th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT on its left about 100 yards in front of MAMETZ WOOD. At 3.25am 1st and 2nd lines advanced on German first line, and five minutes later the third and fourth lines advanced, and, crossing first line, assaulted and took the German second line. The first German line was very much knocked about and some 25 or 30 prisoners were taken in it. The right Company blocked German first line trench on right of the attack, and also the same in the German second line. While crossing “No man’s” land the barrage was not very severe but the two right Companies suffered a good many casualties from enemy machine guns in BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD, which had not then been cleared by 7th Division on our right. There were also two enemy machine guns in the south east corner of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. These were charged by the third and fourth lines and the detachments killed, and the guns taken. There were not a large number of Germans in second line when it was entered. The trenches had been so knocked about that it was difficult to consolidate them. At 4.00am first and second lines, leaving small parties to deal with any dugouts, advanced to German second line, which was also being consolidated by the third and fourth lines. At 4.20am three platoons remained in German second line, and the rest of the Battalion advanced to the “one hour” line, which was reached after suffering a good many casualties from enfilade fire from the direction of BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD. Soon after this the enemy, retiring in front of the 7th Division from BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD on our right, were enfiladed from the eastern edge of the wood by our Lewis guns, and suffered heavy losses. For some time the right Company had to form a defensive flank as many of the enemy were trying to get from BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD to BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. At 5.20am the Battalion advanced to the “two hour” line and remained there till 6.00am, waiting for the 7th Division to come up on our right. At 6.00am the Battalion was reinforced by several platoons of the 9th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT At 6.05am the line advanced against the village, and, the left of the 7th Division not being up, the whole village was assaulted and taken, and 3 officers and 200 prisoners. At 6.40am the ROYAL IRISH RIFLES entered the village and the eastern portion was handed over to them. At 7.15am the Battalion occupied and began consolidating the line from the northern end of the village, thence southwards to the north eastern point of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD, thence along northern edge of wood halfway to the railway. An attempt to get the real objective was heavily enfiladed from a point just outside the wood near the railway. About 50 prisoners were taken in a trench along northern edge of wood. At 8.30am the enemy made a counter attack against the northern portion of village. The 7th Division who were not very strong here fell back on cemetery. The Battalion conformed and held northern edge of wood and the prolongation of same through the village. At 9.15am the 7th Division were reinforced and retook eastern portion of village, and the Battalion resumed its previous line, joining up with the 7th Division north of the village. At 3.00pm the enemy made another counter attack against northern and north eastern edge of village. Many of them reached the road running from north end of village to railway and were at once stopped by our rifle and Lewis gun fire. The Battalion held and consolidated this position on the night of the 14th and also on the 15th there was no change. At 2.00am on the 16th a party of one officer and 50 men were sent out to try to consolidate the original objective along the road. They were preceded by a party of one officer and 40 men of the YORKSHIRE REGIMENT The latter party got to the road and held it for some time while our party was trying to consolidate, but were heavily bombed and enfiladed from enemy post just outside wood near railway, and was forced to retire. On the night of the 16th the Battalion was relieved by the 10th KING’S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY and the Battalion went into bivouac just south of FRICOURT WOOD, arriving there at 1.00am the 17th instant. The Battalion suffered the following casualties 7 officers killed and 20 wounded. 500 other ranks killed, wounded and missing.