Lt Col Richard Nelson BENDYSHE R.M.L.L. [24639]

   Cause of his death was friendly fire at Gallipoli.

  General Notes:

BENDYSHE, RICHARD NELSON,
Major and Brevet Lieut. Col., Royal. Marine Light Infantry, eldest s. of the late Nelson Bendyshe, by his wife ; Charlotte, youngest. dau. of Capt. Henry Brodrick, 29th Regt., and grandson of John Bendyshe, of Barrington Hall, co. Cambridge, J.P., Lieut. R.N., by his wife, Catherine, eldest dau. of George Matcham, of Ashiield Lodge, co. Sussex, and Catherine, his wife, sister of the great Lord Nelson ; b. Woodstock, Ontario, 18 Jan. 1866 ; educ. King's School, Canterbury ; joined the Marines, became Lieut. 1 Sept. 1885, Capt. 1 April, 1895, Major 1 Feb. 1903, Brevet Licut.-Col. 1 Feb. 1910 ; was Assistant Instructor of Musketry, Chatham Division Royal Marines, in 1895 ; Adjutant to Plymouth Division, 1896-1901 ; Staff Officer, Chatham Division, 1902-06 ; and retired 1 July, 1910. At the outbreak of the war Major Bendyshe took charge of the wireless station at, but applied to join the Marines Brigade ; was appointed to the Deal battn., and went to Antwerp at the time of the siege. He was killed in action, 1 May, 1915, in the Dardanelles at Gebe Tebe whilst in command Richard Nelson Bendyshe of the Deal battn. He m. at Berkesbourne, Canterbury, 15 Aug. 1893, Eleanor Margaret (Barrington Hall, Cambridge), dau. of the Rev. Henry John Wardell, Vicar of Berkesbourne, and had two children : John Nelson, Lieut. Worcestershire Regt., b. 29 July, 1894 ; and Margaret Charlotte, b. 1 Nov. 1900. In Sept. 1914, Major Bendyshe succeeded his uncle in the Barrington Hall estate, which has been the seat of the family since the reign of Edward III, and was succeeded in possession of it by his only son.

Name:Richard Nelson Bendyshe
Rank:Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
Regiment:Royal Marine Light Infantry
Birth Date:18 Jan 1866
Birth Place:Woodstock, Ontario
Marriage Date:15 Aug 1893
Marriage Place:Berkesbourne, Canterbury
Enlistment Date:1 Sep 1885
Death Date:1 May 1915
Death Place:Gebe Tebe, Dardanelles
Father:Nelson Bendyshe
Mother:Charlotte Brodrick
Spouse:Eleanor Margaret Wardell
Volume:Volume 1
De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, 1914-1919

Richard Nelson (Dick) Bendyshe
Service Branch: Royal Marine Light Infantry
Unit: Deal Bn.
Rank: Major & Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
Death Date: 1 May 1915
Cause of Death: Accidentally killed (shot in the stomach by a Royal Marine of the Deal Bn. whilst visiting the trenches at night)
Burial: Lone Pine Cemetery, Anzac (Gi 7)
Service History: Commissioned Lieutenant RMLI 1/9/1885, Captain 1/4/1895, Major 5/5/1906, Brevet Lieutenant Colonel 1/2/1910; Deal Bn. at Dunkirk & Antwerp 1914 ; Deal Bn. MEF 28/2/15-1/5/15 DD.
Notes: Officer Commanding Deal Bn. 10/4/15-1/5/15 ; 6th Bn Australian Imperial Forces was to take over trenches held by Deal Bn. commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bendyshe. Lieutenant Colonel McNicoll with Bendyshe and his Regimental Sergeant Major with some runners went for a recce. It was nearly finished and they rounded a corner when the marines started shooting at them. Bendyshe and his Regimental Sergeant Major were both killed. The Marines then charged with bayonets fixed and fortunately McNicoll was not stabbed. The runners were screaming at the Marines and finally quiet was restored. McNicoll ended up with cut hands from grabbing at the bayonets. They carted him off to the beach, bandaged his hands and gave him some sedatives (probably a bottle of rum). He stayed there the night and returned in the morning to his unit.; The Regimental Sergeant Major cannot be identified at present ; 2nd Lieutenant Raymond Humphrey Quill RMLI & his (12th) Platoon of 'C' Company, Deal Bn., were returned to HQ the following morning but 2nd Lieutenant Quill was returned to his trench. The Platoon involved in the incident were no doubt required to give evidence at the Court of Inquiry held at Brigade HQ at 9.30am 1/5/15. (2nd Lieutenant Quill went sick with diarrhoea 11/7/15 & was invalided home 28/8/15. He retired in 1950 as Colonel R.H. Quill CBE DSO MVO RM). ; Son of Nelson and Charlotte Bendyshe. Husband of Eleanor Margaret Bendyshe, of Barrington Hall, Cambridgeshire. ; Name commemorated on a brass plaque in All Saints' Church, Barrington, Cambridgeshire.

Richard Nelson Bendyshe
Age: 49
Birth Date: abt 1866
Death Date: 1 May 1915
Cemetery: Lone Pine Cemetery, Anzac
Burial Country: Turkey
Father: Nelson Bendyshe
Mother: Charlotte Bendyshe
Regiment: Royal Navy
Ship Name: R M L I Commanding Deal
Region or Memorial: Gallipoli
Lone Pine, Quinn´s Post, Nek, Baby 700, Walker´s Ridge, Chunuk Bair, Farm, Gallipoli.

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 2 Apr 1911, Hornapark Lifton DEV. Richard was recorded as head of a 9 room house married aged 45 a Lt Col in the Royal Marines (Retired) born Ontario Canada

2. Richard Nelson Bendyshe: Medal Roll Index Card.

3. Richard Nelson Bendyshe: Will, 13 May 1913.
Richard left his estate in its entirety to his wife Margaret Eleanor.

Bendyshe Richard Nelson of Barrington Hall Barrington Cambs Lieutenant-Colonel Royal Marine Light Infantry died 7 May 1915 at Gallipoli Peninsular. Probate Peterborough 26 October 1916 to Eleanor Margaret Bendyshe widow.
Effects L39916 16s 7d Resworn L39313 8s 2d.
National Probate Calendar..

Richard married Eleanor Margaret WARDELL [24640] [MRIN: 8888], daughter of Henry Johns WARDELL [32102] and Isabella Ann [32103], on 15 Aug 1893 in Berkesbourne Canterbury KEN. (Eleanor Margaret WARDELL [24640] was born about 1867 in Walthamstow ESS, baptised on 8 Sep 1867 in St Paul Bow Common Tower Hamlets LND and died on 4 Mar 1949 in Paignton Devonshire.)