63718 Gunner Herbert James Benson, (7/10/1918-3/6/1944). "their beloved nephew"

Herbert Benson enlisted in 1941 served with the 4th Field Regiment of the NZ Artillery.

After their arrival in Italy, the men of the NZ Artillery soon found that the going would be tough.  Italy had surrendered, but the German army soon took over and used the excellent opportunities for defensive line to advantage.  The Battle of Monte Cassino was won after prolonged attacks and defence in perfect conditions for the defender.  The NZ Divisional Artillery were part of the victory at the mountain.  

Shortly after, having pierced the Germans' "Gustav Line," the Artillery arrived at Sora, whose terrain was similar to that of the hard-won Monte Cassino.  The Artillery's Official History reports their arrival:

Along the dusty road, too, came the 4th Field guns, raising clouds of white powder, and they went into positions north of Sora and west of the river. It was an audacious deployment of the guns, the foremost of them within 2000 yards of the infantry FDLs.

The German gunners had plenty of targets and could pick and choose and bide their time. They did not take much notice of 29 and 47 Batteries in their forward positions and, across the river, they let F Troop of 26 Battery fire for some time until D Troop arrived on the scene. Then, when D Troop was unlimbering its guns, the Germans began to bombard the 4th Field with deadly accuracy. D Troop was the first target and salvos landed in its midst. Direct hits on D2 and the troop command post and near misses of the other three guns made a shambles of the troop area. Five men were killed and 11 wounded, most of them in D Troop, and the troop gun crews were reduced to about two men each. These were told to dig in where they were and the troop did not open fire before dark.

The rest of the 4th Field, however, was undaunted by this terrible blow and fired vigorously throughout the day.

BEREAVEMENT NOTICES

BENSON. — The Cree family, Otekaike, wish to Thank their many kind friends for letters, telegrams, cards, and personal expressions of sympathy extended to them in the sad loss of their beloved nephew, Gunner Herbert James Benson.   -Otago Daily Times, 3/7/1944.

Oamaru Cemetery.