Name; Elroy Fenwick Bent Rank: Pilot Officer Service No: J/9264 Service: Royal Canadian Air Force Date of Birth: September 1, 1922 Place of Birth: Belle Isle, Annapolis Co., NS Date of Enlistment: March 12, 1941 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, NS Address at Enlistment: Granville Ferry, Annapolis Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 18 Marital Status: Single at enlistment Trade: Farming Religion: United Church Next of Kin: Ernest Elroy Bent (Father) McNabs Island, NS Date of Death: August 19, 1942 Age At Death: 19 Cemetery: Khartoum War Cemetery, Sudan Grave Reference: 8. B. 4. Commemorated on Page 58 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 10 Elroy Fenwick Bent, the eldest of seven children, was the son of Ernest Elroy Bent (1900-1988) and Lorna Henrietta (Inglis) Bent (1900-1998). His father was born in Belle Isle, Annapolis Co., NS; his mother – in Tupperville, Annapolis County. Elroy was married to Frances Evelyn (Faulkenham) Bent (1922-2011), of Upper Granville, Annapolis Co., NS on December 11, 1941, in Bridgetown, NS. Evelyn was born in Tupperville, NS, the daughter of Forrester Hector Faulkenham of West Dalhousie, Annapolis Co., NS, and Evelyn (Nightingale) Faulkenham, born in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, England. Elroy graduated from high school, completing the twelfth grade, at Bridgetown High and worked on the family farm after graduation. Occasionally he played tennis, basketball and skated. His desire at enlistment was to be a pilot. After his initial training in Canada, he proceeded overseas and was assigned to No.2 Middle East Forces Pilots and Aircrew Pool where he served seven months prior to his death. On August 19, 1942, Pilot Officer Bent was unofficially at RAF Station Wadi Seidna (approximately 20 kms north of Khartoum in Sudan) other than stating he was assisting the Duty Pilot. He contacted Pilot Officer W. P. Wyman who later arrived at the RAF Station. Both officers contacted the pilot of a Lockheed Hudson No. A.25 # 41- 23592 belonging to the USAAC and took off on ‘a test flight’. At 3:15 pm August 19th, the aircraft was seen to crash in flames with the death of all occupants.

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Sources and Information: Commonwealth War Graves Commission Canadian Virtual War Memorial findagrave.com

Elroy Fenwick Bent

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