Pte 26137 Harry Cecil Henton

• Age: 26
• From: Oldbury, Worcestershire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Harry Cecil Henton was born in about December 1890 in Oldbury, Worcestershire, just west of Birmingham, the son of Mr Frederick William Henton and his wife Anna Maria  (nee Bartlett). His parents married in 1888; Harry was the eldest of their nine children. Francis Percy born in 1892, William Ernest 1893 (who died in infancy), Eva Annie 1895, and Alice Ethel 1897 were also born in Oldbury.  When Harry was about 8 years old the family moved to the Liverpool area, where four more children were born: Sidney Frederick 1899, Marjorie Edith 1902, Beatrice Lizzie May 1903, and Herbert Ralph in 1906.

At the time of the 1891 census (taken in early April), Harry is 3 months old, living at 51 Tat Bank Road, Oldbury with his parents, both 27, his father employed as a clerk.

The 1901 census finds the family in Liverpool at 87 Blantyre Road, Wavertree.  His father is a commercial clerk.  Both parents are 37, Harry is 10, Francis 9, Eva, 5, Alice, 3, and Sidney, 1 year old.

Eva died the following year at the age of 7.

The 1911 Census shows the family are still living at 87 Blantyre Road, Wavertree, Liverpool. His father, William Frederick aged 47, born in 1864 in Emscote, Warwickshire is a railway clerk. His mother Anna Maria is aged 47, born 1864 in Leamington, Warwickshire. They have been married for twenty two years and have had nine children of which two had died. Those listed in the household are; Harry Cecil aged 20, born 1891 is a railway clerk, Francis Percy aged 19, born 1892 is a chandler’s assistant, Alice Ethel aged 13, born 1898, Sidney Frederick aged 11, born 1900 and Marjorie Edith Mary aged 8, born 1903 are all at school. Beatrice Lizzie May aged 7, born 1904 and Herbert Ralph aged 4, born 1907. 

He enlisted in Liverpool and served in the 17^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 26137. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, Harry enlisted in about April 1915.

He shipped to France with his battalion, disembarking at Boulogne on 07th November 1915.

Harry was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 26, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

17th Battalion Diary 

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.  

Harry was initially reported Missing, and his name appeared in the list of K.L.R. Missing in the Liverpool Daily Post on 14th September 1916.

His death was later presumed as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Harry is also commemorated on the St Bridgets Church Roll Of Honour, Wavertree, Liverpool. 

He earned his three medals. His 1914-15 Star (issued in the name of Hunter) was  returned for amendment.

His mother received Harry's outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £5, and was awarded a pension of 6/- a week from June 1917.

His brother Francis served overseas as a Sergeant with the Royal Engineers (Railways), and survived the war.

On the 1939 register his father, now 76 and retired, was living alone at 87 Blantyre Road. His brother Francis is shown at 37 Mill Lane with three closed entries (i.e., other residents' names not visible).  On the 1938-39 electoral roll, his mother lived at this address with Francis, Alice, Marjorie, and Herbert.

His mother died in 1947 aged 83, and was buried in West Derby Cemetery, address 37 Mill Lane. 

His father lived until 1952 and died at the age of 88, still living in Blantyre Road, and was buried in Allerton Cemetery.

We currently have no further information on Harry Cecil Henton, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.