• Home
• The U-boats
• The Men
• The Allies
• Maps
• Forums
• Articles
• Gallery
• Books
• Movies
• WWI

Allies in WWII

• Ships hit by U-boats
• Allied Warships
• Allied Commanders
  • Listing of officers
  • Decorations
  • Personal info
• Ships & Navies
• Aircraft & Air Forces
• Weapons & Techn.

Career information

We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.

Submarine HMS Cachalot (N 83)

1 Sep 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) arrived at Malta from the U.K. (1)

7 Sep 1939
During 7 and 8 September 1939 HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Malta. These exercises included night exercises. (1)

14 Sep 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Malta. (1)

19 Sep 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Malta together with HMS Porpoise (Cdr. G.W.G. Simpson, RN) and HMS Otway (Cdr. H.R. Conway, RN). (1)

21 Sep 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Malta together with HMS Sealion (Lt.Cdr. B. Bryant, RN). (1)

27 Sep 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) was docked in No.5 dock at Malta. (1)

29 Sep 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) was undocked. (1)

4 Oct 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Malta together with HMS Sealion (Lt.Cdr. B. Bryant, RN). (2)

5 Oct 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Malta together with HMS Porpoise (Cdr. G.W.G. Simpson, RN) and HMS Oswald (Lt.Cdr. G.M. Sladen, RN). (2)

11 Oct 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) departed Malta for Gibraltar. Cachalot was ordered to return to the U.K.

For the daily positions of HMS Cachalot during this passage see the map below.

(2)

15 Oct 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) arrived at Gibraltar. After fuelling she departed for Portsmouth later on the same day. (2)

20 Oct 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) arrived at Portsmouth. (2)

29 Oct 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) departed Portsmouth for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea.

Cachalot was escorted out by HMS Malcolm (Capt. T.E. Halsey, RN) until 1615/29.

For the daily positions of HMS Cachalot during this patrol see the map below.

(3)

30 Oct 1939
At 1014 hours HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) sighted two aircraft, one of which machine-gunned her. A recognition grenade misfired and the submarine had to dive. (3)

7 Nov 1939
At 1648 hours, HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN), made rendez-vous with HMS Seal (Lt.Cdr. R.P. Lonsdale, RN), HMS L 26 (Lt.Cdr. F.W. Lipscomb, OBE, RN) and their escort towards Portsmouth, HMS Boadicea (Lt.Cdr. G.B. Kingdon, RN) near the North Goodwin light vessel. (3)

8 Nov 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) ended her 1st war patrol at Portsmouth. Nothing of interest had been sighted. (3)

11 Nov 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) departed Portsmouth for her 2nd war patrol. She was to provide ocean escort for convoy O.A. 33 together with HMS Seal (Lt.Cdr. R.P. Lonsdale, RN).

For the daily positions of HMS Cachalot during this patrol see the map below.

(3)

14 Nov 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) left the convoy and proceeded to Halifax, Canada independently. It was decided to leave the convoy due to the very bad weather and visibility in which Cachalot was nearly rammed by one of the merchant vessels. (3)

23 Nov 1939
Around 0915Q/23, HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) ended her 2nd war patrol at Halifax. She was escorted into the harbour by HMCS St. Laurent (Lt.Cdr. H.G. de Wolf, RCN). (3)

26 Nov 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) was docked at Halifax. (4)

27 Nov 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) was undocked. (4)

7 Dec 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Halifax. These included A/S exercises with HMS Hunter (Lt.Cdr. L. De Villiers, RN) and HMCS Fraser (Cdr. W.B. Creery, RCN). (5)

14 Dec 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Halifax. (5)

16 Dec 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Halifax with HMS Hunter (Lt.Cdr. L. De Villiers, RN). (5)

18 Dec 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Halifax. These included A/S exercises with HMS Hunter (Lt.Cdr. L. De Villiers, RN) and HMCS Restigouche (Lt.Cdr. W.B.L. Holms, RCN). (5)

19 Dec 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Halifax. These included A/S exercises with HMS Hunter (Lt.Cdr. L. De Villiers, RN) and HMCS Restigouche (Lt.Cdr. W.B.L. Holms, RCN). (5)

23 Dec 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Halifax. (5)

29 Dec 1939
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) departed Halifax for her 3rd war patrol. She was to provide escort to convoy HX 14.

For the daily positions of HMS Cachalot during this patrol see the map below.

(3)

12 Jan 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) ended her 3rd war patrol at Sheerness. Cachalot was to proceed to the Chatham Dockyard to refit. (3)

13 Jan 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) shifted from Sheerness to Chatham. (6)

24 Mar 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) ended her refit at the Chatham Dockyard. She shifted to Sheerness late in the morning. (7)

25 Mar 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted trials off Sheerness. Upon completed of these trials she returned to the Chatham Dockyard. (7)

28 Mar 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) departed the Chatham Dockyard for trials off Sheerness. Upon completion of these trials she went to Sheerness. (7)

29 Mar 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) departed Sheerness for Portsmouth. (7)

30 Mar 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) arrived at Portsmouth. (7)

2 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Portsmouth. (8)

3 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Portsmouth. (8)

4 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Portsmouth. (8)

6 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) conducted exercises off Portsmouth. (8)

10 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) Portsmouth for Blyth. (8)

12 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) arrived at Blyth. (8)

13 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) departed Blyth for Immingham where she was to embark mines.

At 2125 hours, off Whitby, she was rammed by accident by the Italian merchant Beppe. Cachalot was able to continue under her own power. She was ordered to proceed to the Tyne. (8)

14 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) arrived at the Tyne. (8)

15 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) shifted from the Tyne to the Swan Hunters Shipyard at Wallsend for temporary repairs. She was docked on this day. (8)

19 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) was undocked. (8)

21 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) shifted from Wallsend to Blyth. (8)

27 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) departed Blyth for the Devonport Dockyard at Plymouth. (8)

29 Apr 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) arrived at Sheerness. (8)

1 May 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) departed Sheerness to continue her passage to the Devonport Dockyard. (9)

3 May 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) arrived at the Devonport Dockyard. (9)

12 May 1940
HMS Cachalot (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) is docked in No.5 dock at the Devonport Dockyard for full repairs and refit. The date of undocking is currently unknown as no log is available for the whole period. (9)

Escort destroyer HMS Bicester (L 34)

23 Feb 1943 (position 36.55, 2.25)
German U-boat U-443 was sunk in the Mediterranean near Algiers, in position 36°55'N, 02°25'E, by depth charges from the British escort destroyers HMS Bicester (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) and HMS Lamerton (Lt.Cdr. C.R. Purse, DSC, RN), HMS Wheatland (Lt.Cdr. R.deL. Brooke, DSC, RN).

9 May 1943
At 0820 hours, while off Zembra Island in the Gulf of Tunis, HMS Bicester (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN) was attacked by American Warhawk fighters, a 500lb bomb went through starboard side at water line level then passed through P.O mess then through lower deck then through No. 3 & No. 5 fuel tanks before coming to rest in No. 6 fuel oil tank. The bomb failed to explode. HMS Bicester steamed with a 15 degree list to Sousse harbour where she anchored overnight and then entered harbour proper at daylight on the 10th. the bomb could not be defused and was lifted manually out of the ship by six volunteers.

HMS Bicester had been dive bombed twice and machine gunned three times in this friendly fire incident. At first it was thought that this had been British Spitfires but on subsequent investigation it turned out to have been American aircraft.

She had been escorted to Sousse by HMS Oakley (Lt.Cdr. T.A. Pack-Beresford, RN). They had arrived off Sousse at 2315 hours.

HMS Bicester entered the harbour at 0600/10. (10)

14 May 1943
After temporary repairs, HMS Bicester (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN), proceeded from Sousse to Malta where she was to be taken in hand for repairs. During the passage to Malta she was escorted by RHS Vasilissa Olga (Lt.Cdr. G. Blessas). (11)

You can help improve officers Sydney William Floyd Bennetts's page
Click here to Submit events/comments/updates for this officer.
Please use this if you spot mistakes or want to improve his page.

• Front page
• About
• Contact us
• FAQ
• Glossary
• What's new

 © 1995 - 2024 Guðmundur Helgason