| Surname: | Benz |
| Initials: | A |
| Rank: | Sergeant |
| Army Number: | .485 |
| Notes: | MMP. 22/1/91 he enlisted in the 21 Lancers, No. 3279, born Stoke Newington, London, occupation Coachman, age 18 years, 10/6/00 transferred to the 16 Lancers, 17/8/01 transferred to MMP. Served Home 22/1/91 to 4/2/93, India 5/2/93 to 20/10/96, Egypt 21/10/96 to 11/11/99, Home 12/11/99 to 11/6/00, South Africa 12/6/00 to 21/11/00 (invalided to England), Home 22/11/00 to 21/1/12 to discharge at Aldershot, age 39 years, served 21 years, conduct exemplary, address: 1 Leicester Street, Leicester, rank Cpl. Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct Medal Army order 270 of 1909. 9/4/04 he married Alice May Whitbourne at the Parish Church, Aldershot. 3/9/14 he re enlisted in the MMP age 41.6 years, occupation Railway Policeman, address: 23 Blyth Place. Russel Street, Luton, Bedfordshire. Served Home 3/9/14 to 27/4/19, Class Z Reserve 28/4/19 to 4/11/19 to discharge, rank Sgt. Alfred Benz. He has the same No. as CSM. W. Chapman, MFP. Extract from Downham Market Gazette 6 May 1916. CHARGE AGAINST PUBLICAN. Walter Robert Knights, of the Chequers Inn, King St5reet, was charged with failing to keep his premises closed to members of his Majesty's Forces on 8th April. He pleaded not guilty. Supt. Powell, who prosecuted, said an order was made by the competent military authority closing licenced houses to all members of his Majesty's Forces except between the hours of 1p.m. and 9 p.m.. PCV de Rungar proved serving a notice of the order on the defendant's wife last year. Alfred Benz, of the Military Mounted Police, said about 10 minutes to one on the 8th April he saw a soldier outside the Chequers and had a conversation with him. Witness went into the house, where he saw two soldiers. One soldier had a glass of beer in his hand and there was another glass of beer on the table by the side of the other soldier. Witness asked the landlady if she had served the soldiers. She thereupon took the beer from the soldiers and said they had not paid for it yet. She then ordered the soldiers to leave the house. Witness again asked Mrs. Knights whether she had served the soldiers and she said "What is that to do with you. I have not taken the money for it yet. Defendant; Did you not ask the men to drink their beer. Witness; No, the beer was taken away before I could say anything about it. Giving evidence on oath, the defendant said his wife was in the habit of collecting washing from certain soldiers to get it done for them. The men were perfect strangers and instead of taking it to defendant's shop they men theuy could drink their beer. Mrs. Knights drew some beer for them and stood it on the table. They did not drink the beer or attempt to do so. The time by the bar clock was one o'clock. Defendant saw the sergeant, who said it was four minutes to one, and told the tow men they could drink their beer. Mrs. Knights said, "No; you say it is not one; they shall not have it," and she took it off the table. In reply to Supt. Powell defendant said his clock stood at three minutes to one, but it was three minutes slow. he admitted that he said to the sergeant, "if we have made a mistake in the time I am sorry." Percy Alfred Hill said he was in the Chequers on the 8th April about one o'clock, when he heard a dispute about the time. He went to the Post Office and found the clock there was five minutes past 1 and agreed with his watch. He then went to St. Peter's Church ans saw the clock there was three minutes slow by that at the Post Office. Defendant's clock was set by St. Peters' Church clock. By Supt. Powell; Witness looked at his watch before he left the house and the time was on one o'clock. Another witness deposed to hearing the dispute about the time and to looking. It was 1 o'clock and he afterwards found it agreed with the Post Office clock. St. Peter's clock was three minutes slow and the Chequers clock was the same. Sergt. Benz, recalled, said he left the Bell yard at a quarter to one. He looked at St. Peter's clock and that was 13 minutes to one. He then went directly to the Chequers. The Mayor said the Bench had unanimously decided to fine the defendant £3 and he hoped it would be a warning to him ant others in the future. Extract from the Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle 31 March 192 POLICE FUNERAL - Railway Official's Long Record. Police of Luton Borough and the London, Midland & Scottish Railway too part in an impressive funeral on Tuesday afternoon, when the remains of Constable Alfred Benz, of the Luton depot of the LMS Railway, were committed to the grave. Constable Benz who passed away at his house, 1 Blyth Place Luton on Thursday, after an illness of fourteen weeks, was aged 55, and leaves a widow, two daughters and four sons, the eldest of whom is serving in Gibraltar. A native of Tottenham, the deceased fought with the 21st Lancers under Lord Kitchener at the battle of Omdurman, gaining the Khedives Star and Omdurman battle, and transferring to the Military Mounted Police later served in the South African War and received the King's Medal. Leaving the army after 21 years service with the rank of Corporal and the long service and good conduct medal he joined the Midland Railway Police and had served at Luton since 1913, except during the war period when he rejoined the Military police and was for the greater part of the time Sergt. Major of the Military Police at the Third Army Headquarers. |
Decoration Record: | |
| Decoration: | Queen's Sudan Medal 1896-1897 (London Gazette: WO 100/80 Page: 52 March 27, 1899) |
| Citation: | Clasp: Khartoum 1898. Awarded as L/Cpl 21 Lancers, No. 3278. |
| Decoration: | Khedive's Sudan Medal (London Gazette: WO 100/80 Page: 103 Jan. 19, 1899) |
| Citation: | Clasp: Khartoum 1898. Awarded as L/Cpl. 21 Lancers, No. 3278. |
| Decoration: | Queen's South Africa Medal (London Gazette: WO 100/118 Page: 7 July 15, 1901) |
| Citation: | Clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal. Awarded as Cpl. 21 Lancers, No. 3278, remarks: Invalided to England |