Biography:
Eric William Benson was born 8 May 1887, the only son of Sir Frank Benson (A, 1871-1877) the distinguished actor and manager who lived at The Langtons, Alresford, and his wife Gertrude Constance Cockburn, only daughter of Captain Morshead Samwell, also of Alresford.
He came to Winchester College in September 1901 from Mr. W.R. Lee's school at Forest Row, Sussex, and was in his father's old House, Chernocke. Eric was appointed a House Prefect in 1905 and his Head of House was the future politician, Stafford Cripps. He took an active role in the life of his House, playing in OTH VI and in the school's Soccer XI.
Eric served for a time after leaving school in the Jersey Militia, from which he was afterwards transferred with a commission to the Cheshire Regiment. He then spent four years in India with this regiment and captained the regimental hockey team when they won the Calcutta Cup at Bombay. He retired from the army just before the war broke out, and in August 1914 applied for and was granted a commission in the Rifle Brigade. Eric later he was transferred to the 9th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps and served with them to his death.
He was wounded at Hooge in the Ypres Salient on 30 July 1915, when his regiment launched a counter-attack to retake some trenches lost to the Germans in the first ever flame-thrower attack. Several Wykehamists died in this action, including Lieutenant Roger Watson of the Kings Royal Rifle Corps (see individual entry). Benson was awarded the M.C. for his role that day and mentioned in Despatches, eventually rising to command his battalion. He had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel by the time of his death. He was killed at the head of his men by machine gun fire at Delville Wood during the attack of 15 September 1916.
Benson was not the only Wykehamist to die that day on the Somme: ten others were killed or mortally wounded, including Captain Arthur Innes Adam (Coll.1907-1912, 1/1st Cambridgeshire Regiment); Lieutenant Raymond Asquith (Coll.1892-1897, 3rd Grenadier Guards), the son of the Prime Minister; Major Charles Blair-Wilson (I1908-1913, 42nd Canadian Infantry); Lieutenant George Macpherson (I1909-1915, Heavy Section – Tanks – Machine Gun Corps); Lieutenant Warine Frederick Martindale (B1907-1912, 1st Scots Guards); Captain Desmond Clere Parsons (E1903-1908, 2nd Irish Guards); Lance Corporal 73832 Henry Mark Ruddock (H1908-1913, 28th Canadian Infantry); 2nd Lieutenant Evelyn Godfrey Worsley (A1898-1903, 3rd Grenadier Guards); 2nd Lieutenant Geoffrey Wilfrid Penfold Wyatt (D1909-1915, 1st East Kent Regiment); and Lieutenant Raymond Gilbert Hooker Yeatherd (F1904-1908, 2nd Dragoon Guards).
Benson had married Muriel Anna Taylor, daughter of Richard Taylor, on 17 June 1916.