Henry William Huckle

Name

Henry William Huckle
1886

Conflict

First World War

Date of Death / Age

05/09/1918
32

Rank, Service Number & Service Details

Second Lieutenant
Cambridgeshire Regiment
1st Bn.

Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards

British War and Victory medals

Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country

PERONNE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
V. M. 4.
France

Headstone Inscription

Not Researched

UK & Other Memorials

Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Trumpington Village Hall, Trumpington, Cambs

Pre War

Henry enlisted as Private 765792 in the 28th London Regiment in March 1917. He went through a training course at cadet school and was commissioned to the Cambridgeshire Regiment early in 1918. 

His Battalion was in the 35th Brigade of the 12th Division in the III Corps of the 4th Army. He had only been in France for three weeks when, leading his men into action for the first time, he was hit in the left side by machine-gun fire and killed instantly at Curlu, north east of Peronne.

His body was found after the was at Map Ref. 62c. D. 4c. 6. 4. And identified by a cross, he was reburied as part of  the concentration of graves and he is buried in Plot 5, Row M, Grave 4 in the Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, St. Radegonde, France.

His widow had heard of his death a few days before the official notification when the chaplain and one of his fellow officers wrote. 

The chaplain wrote: “It is with deepest sympathy that I send the sorrowful news that your husband, Lieut. Huckle, of the Cambs. Regt., passed away on the 6th, killed in action near _____. He went in with his company on the morning of the 6th. Immediately some enemy machine guns opened fire upon them. Mr Orbell, the company commander, was instantly killed. Your husband then led the company on, when he too was hit in the left side by a bullet which penetrated his body and killed him instantly. We carried his body to ____, where we buried him close by the broken church and village. Your husband had done his day's work, and he had done it well and bravely."

The officer wrote: “I am sorry to say your dear husband was killed in action while leading his men of the Cambs. Regt. into action for the first time on September 6th. I had known him for some months, and always found him bright and good-natured, and he was very popular with his fellow officers and men. Though he had only been out with the battalion for a few days he held the respect of officers N.C.O.'s, and men. We all feel his death keenly, from the Commanding Officer to the youngest private, he was such a good, up right living man. He suffered no pain, and was killed outright by a German machine gun."

Wartime Service

Most newspaper reports found refer to Henry and Lieutenant, however the CWGC records give him as Second Lieutenant.

The Army Compassionate List shows that Henry and his wife had two children and that a gratuity of £33 6s 8d was paid in war bonds on 5 November 1918, then £13 12s 7d on 16 November 1919 and then a war bonus of £9 12s 0d paid on 20 May 1919.

Probate was granted to his wife living at Tourmaline, Trumpington, Cambs. On 3 January 1919, with the value of his effects given as £365 0s 4d.

His widow ordered his headstone inscription, while living at Tourmaline, Trumpington, Cambs., it reads: “UNTO THY GREAT GLORY”.

Additional Information

Most newspaper reports found refer to Henry and Lieutenant, however the CWGC records give him as Second Lieutenant.

The Army Compassionate List shows that Henry and his wife had two children and that a gratuity of £33 6s 8d was paid in war bonds on 5 November 1918, then £13 12s 7d on 16 November 1919 and then a war bonus of £9 12s 0d paid on 20 May 1919.

Probate was granted to his wife living at Tourmaline, Trumpington, Cambs. On 3 January 1919, with the value of his effects given as £365 0s 4d.

His widow ordered his headstone inscription, while living at Tourmaline, Trumpington, Cambs., it reads: “UNTO THY GREAT GLORY”.

Henry is also commemorated on a headstone in Hitchin Cemetery. The inscription reads:

Acknowledgments

Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild, Lives of the First World War