SEA VETERAN'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20622, 22 July 1930, Page 12

SEA VETERAN'S DEATH.

CAPTAIN W. H. BENNETT.

HOLDER OF MERCANTILE V.C.

GREAT LOVER OF SHIPS. Captain W. H. Bennett, tho veteran former commander of the famous clipper Loch Ver-nachar, who was reported dead on Mav 31, 1926, and celebrated tho mistake with a jolly luncheon party tho same day, died on Juno 23 al llichmond, Melbourne.

Only n few days previously Captain Bennett attained tho ripo old ago of 85. Ho had lived in Melbourne for 23 years, ever since his retirement.

Until this year it was his custom to re. ceivc his friends on hi 3 birthday anniversaries and make a festivo occasion of them. This year lie was too sick. Captain Dennett's sea stories of the famous clipper days made him a vivid and interesting personality to his friends. Many a time ho would sit down and tell the stirring tale of how tlio Loch Vennachar beat even the Cutty Sark on one trip to England from Australia; or of how he sailed her under a jury rig to Mauritius after she had been dismasted in a nineday galo in the Indian Ocean. This feat won high praise from Rear-Admiral VV. L. Kennedy, of 11.M.5. Boadicea, flagship of tlio East India Squadron, which was in Port Louis when the Loch Vennachar arrived.

Captain Bennett was awarded Lloyd's Medal, the V.C. of the mercantile marine service. His old ship was ono of tlio fastest of the Loch Line's clippers. Her avcrago for 12 passages to London, while ho was in command, was 86 days. She was usually one of the first wool clippers to get away from Melbourne on the homeward voyage.

A native of Chatham, England, Captain Dennett, went to sea at the ago of 14 in a barque of 300 tons bound for Jamaica to pick up a cargo of sugar and rum. Later, ho was apprenticed to Mr. W. 11. Tindall, a shipowner, lie joined the Loch Line in 1073, became mate of the Loch Tay, and was later her skipper for eight years. lie commanded the Loch Venn a char for 20 years and became a familiar figure to the thousands of passengers she carried during that time. To the end, the old sailor never forgot his greai love for the sea and ships. The window of his room commanded a view of the Hobson Bay and Captain Bennett used to spend hours there, scanning the Bay with a telescopo for sight of the ships ho loved.