Benjamin, Walter Conrad

Date of birth:: February 16th, 1912 (Fox River/Nova Scotia, Canada)
Date of death:: November 11th, 1944 ('s-Hertogenbosch/North Brabant, Netherlands)
Buried on:: Canadian War Cemetery Groesbeek
Plot: XVII. Row: C. Grave: 6.
Service number:: F/65779
Nationality:: Canadian

Biography

Guardsman
Governor General's Foot Guards, R.C.A.C.
21st Armd. Regt.

It was November 11, when disaster struck and Walter had a fatal accident.
During his service, he brought water to the units by truck with several soldiers from his regiment. It was very dark that evening at 6.55 pm when a convoy of the 7th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment was driving on the "Maple Leaf Route" near 's-Hertogenbosch. They did not drive fast, about 35 to 40 km per hour and they continued their way with so-called blackout (obscured) lights. Walter and his buddies walked along the road and had to cross it to get to their truck. Walter crossed the first part of the road, wanted to continue through the convoy to the other side and did not see that a passing Daimler Armoured Car had no lights, they were defective. Since the cars were driving right behind each other and Walter did not see the car in the dark, he was run over.
The driver suddenly saw a head in front of his car, felt the collision and that the wheels hit something. He stopped immediately and together with two other soldiers he lifted Walter from the middle of the road to the side, a medic from the unit immediately declared him dead. Walter had fractures to his skull and both legs and several other injuries, which together proved fatal to him.
An investigation into Walter's accident followed. Several witnesses were heard, but everyone agreed that it was an unfortunate coincidence. It was very dark, the lights of the vehicle did not work, the cars were close together and Walter just had not seen it. No one was to blame there and it happened during an official army vehicle movement. It was a tragic accident.
Guardsman Walter Conrad Benjamin was 32 years old when he died on November 11, 1944 as a result of the accident.

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