Military History

Henry is listed as being killed in action on 20th September 1917. The following description of events leading to his death are taken from the book "The King's Royal Rifle Corps Chronicle 1917" which is available on the Internet Archive.

On September 18th the Battalion moved up into the front line, and on the night of 19th-20th formed up on the tape line for the attack from Broembeek.

The Battalion formed up for attack in three waves, each composed of two lines with the exception of the second wave, which, owing to shortage of numbers, consisted of one line only. The three waves were astride the Langemarck-Coedtervesten road. The assembly was carried out according to plan and without a casualty. The barrage opened at 5.40 a.m., and the first line arrived within 50 yards of its objective, and lay down to wait for the barrage to lift. On resuming the advance on Eagle Trench they came under heavy machine-gun fire, Captain Bogle being killed at this time.

The right of the trench was found to be very strongly held, with at least 6 machine guns, and the advance there was held up within 10 yards of the trench, where the line was heavily bombed. Second Lieut. Charleston organised and led two unsuccessful attempts to take the trench, during the second of which attempts he was killed. On the left the first wave reached Eagle Trench without difficulty and consolidated there. The history of the other two waves was similar, successful on the left, held up on the right. The second wave reached beyond Eagle Trench, and got to within 80 yards of Chinese House, where they dug themselves into shell-holes.

At dusk the portions of the second and third waves which had crossed Eagle Trench and established themselves beyond, finding themselves completely in the air, withdrew to Eagle Trench, where they were relieved just before dawn by the 11th R.B. The remnants of the three waves which had been held up on the right also withdrew at dusk, some into Eagle Trench and some joining the Rifle Brigade slightly further back. One party under Captain Clifford, when that officer was killed about 8 a.m., was taken charge of by a N.C.O., who maintained his position with great gallantry until dusk, when he withdrew all that was left of them, to the number of 4 men. At 11 p.m. the Battalion was ordered to withdraw to a position to the west of the Steenbeek, which was safely done by about dawn. We remained there until the 22nd, when we returned to Roussol Farm.

Our casualties in the fight were:

Officers Killed: Captain H. Clifford, Captain J. Bogle MC;  2/Lt’s J. W. Pool; L. G. Edwards: R. G. Hobbs and B.E. Charleston

Officers Wounded: 2/Lt’s E.P. Rider; W. J. Camplin & A. J. Sutters.

Other ranks, 36 killed, 43 missing, 127 wounded.