{{Short description|New Zealand international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Lawrence Bensemann |fullname = {{nowrap|Lawrence Otto Bensemann}} |nickname = |image = |imagesize = |caption = |birth_date = {{Birth date|1891|03|04|df=yes}} |birth_place = Motueka, New Zealand |death_date = {{Death date and age|1969|09|23|1891|03|04|df=yes}} |death_place = Wellington, New Zealand |height = |weight = |position = Forward |club1 = Newtown |year1start = 1913 |year1end = 14 |appearances1 = 13 |tries1 = 4 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 12 |teamA = Wellington |yearAstart = 1913 |yearAend = |appearancesA = 3 |triesA = 3 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 9 |teamB = Wellington Trial |yearBstart = 1913 |yearBend = 14 |appearancesB = 2 |triesB = 0 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 0 |teamC = New Zealand |yearCstart = 1913 |yearCend = |appearancesC = 1 |triesC = 0 |goalsC = 0 |fieldgoalsC = 0 |pointsC = 0 |new = yes |retired = yes |updated = 13 November 2021 |source = Papers Past }}
'''Lawrence Otto Bensemann''' (4 March 1891 – 23 September 1969) was a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s. He played at representative level for New Zealand, and Wellington, as a forward.<ref name="Roll of Honour at nzrl.co.nz">{{cite web|url=http://nzrl.co.nz/roll-of-honour.aspx |title=Roll of Honour at nzrl.co.nz |publisher=nzrl.co.nz |date=31 December 2011 |accessdate=1 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120714044737/http://nzrl.co.nz/roll-of-honour.aspx |archivedate=14 July 2012 }}</ref><ref name="Past Kiwis → B at nzrl.co.nz">{{cite web|url=http://nzrl.co.nz/past-kiwis/past-kiwis-caps-B.aspx|title=Past Kiwis → B at nzrl.co.nz|publisher=nzrl.co.nz|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121220111311/http://nzrl.co.nz/past-kiwis/past-kiwis-caps-B.aspx|archivedate=20 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="Profile at nzleague.co.nz">{{cite web|url=http://www.nzleague.co.nz/pages/kiwis_players.php?player=101|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130223043637/http://www.nzleague.co.nz/pages/kiwis_players.php?player=101|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 February 2013|title=Profile at nzleague.co.nz|publisher=nzleague.co.nz|date=31 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2012}}</ref>
==Early life and family== Born in Motueka in 1891, Bensemann was educated at Nelson College from 1904 to 1906.<ref name="NCOB register">''Nelson College Old Boys' Register, 1856–2006'', 6th edition (CD-ROM).</ref> He was the uncle of artist Leo Bensemann.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
==Playing career== ===International honours=== Bensemann represented New Zealand in 1913 against New South Wales.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
==World War 1 and 2== Lawrence Bensemann served in both world wars. He enlisted in 1915 and at the time was married to Charlotte Bensemann and stated his address as Sutherland Road in Maranui.<ref>{{cite news | title =Lawrence Otto Bensemann | publisher =Auckland Museum | url =https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C38393?n=bensemann&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=10 | accessdate = 2021-11-13}}</ref> Following the war he worked as an accountant and was living on Konini Rd in Hataitai. In October 1924 he found a body on Mount Victoria.<ref>{{cite news | title =Found Dead/Body On Mount Victoria | page =6 | publisher =New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11954 | date = 1924-10-08 | url =https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19241008.2.42 | accessdate = 2021-11-13}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== <!--*[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Lawrence-Bensemann/summary.html Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org]--> *[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/search/?q=Bensemann Search for "Bensemann" at rugbyleagueproject.org]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bensemann, Lawrence}} Category:1891 births Category:1969 deaths Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen Category:New Zealand national rugby league team players Category:New Zealand rugby league players Category:People educated at Nelson College Category:Rugby league forwards Category:Rugby league players from Motueka Category:Wellington rugby league team players