Biographical entry: Bennett, William (1920 - )

Born
13 January 1920

Details

William (Bill) Bennett, son of William Hugh Bennett (q.v.) and a local woman, was born at Kia on Isabel Island on 13 January 1920 and educated at the Methodist's Kokeqolo School at Munda, and at the Fiji School of Wireless. During the Second World War he assisted coastwatcher Donald J. Kennedy, serving on Isabel, where he narrowly escaped death when the Japanese set fire to the Protectorate's vessel Waiai while he was trying to hide it. He later served at Seghe, New Georgia. He was awarded the Military Medal in 1945. After the war he became a wireless officer in the Department of Post and Telegraphs and from 1949 began assisting with the early government radio broadcasts, in what became the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Commission (q.v.). In 1958, Bennett attended a BBC production course, which polished his already smooth style. In 1970, he was appointed as head of the Protectorate's broadcasting section, and finally was appointed as Chairman of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation. He received a Military Medal and a M.B.E. (NS 30 Nov. 1970; Tedder 2008, 219-231)

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Published resources

Books

  • Tedder, James L.O., Solomon Islands Years: A District Administrator in the Islands, 1952-1974, Tuatu Studies, Stuarts Point, NSW, 2008. Details

Journals

  • British Solomon Islands Protectorate (ed.), British Solomon Islands Protectorate News Sheet (NS), 1955-1975. Details