Name
Henry Impey
24 August 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/07/1915
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
PO/12298
Royal Marine Light Infantry
Portsmouth Bn., Royal Navy Division
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HELLES MEMORIAL
Panel 2 to 7.
Turkey (including Gallipoli)
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
St Michael and All Angels Church Memorial, Watford, Not on the Boxmoor memorials
Pre War
Henry Impey was born on 24 August 1884 in Northall, Beds, the son of George and Elizabeth Impey and one of ten children. His parents had married on 20 February 1875 at St Mary’s, Eddlesborough, Bucks.
On the 1891 Census the family were living in Hockcliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard where his father was working as a General Labourer. They had moved to George Street, Upper Houghton, Bedfordshire by the 1901 Census, and Henry was then aged 16 and working as a Labourer at Sewage Works,
He married Florence Scrivener on 18 February 1906 at St John the Evangelist, Boxmoor, and on the 1911 Census they were living at 73 Cotterells Road, Hemel Hempstead where he was working as a general labourer at the corn mill. Also listed was their daughter Alice May who was born in 1909. They later had two more daughters, Florrie born 1912 and Minnie born 1914.
His father George died 1923 aged 76 or 1925 aged 77 and his mother Elizabeth died in 1935 aged 79; both in the Luton, Beds.
His widow Florence later lived at 2 Puller Road, Boxmoor. She never remarried, and died in 1963 in the Hemel Hempstead, Herts, district aged 84 and is buried in Heath Lane Cemetery, Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
Henry enlisted on 26 April 1902 in London and served in the Royal Marine Light Infantry.
He was discharged invalid 14 August 1907, and re-enlisted under his old service number in London 6 October 1914 for hostilities only, serving with the Portsmouth Battalion.
He went with the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force to Gallipoli on 28 April 1915, suffered a gun shot wound to the right shoulder on 1 May 1915, and later returned to duty.
He was killed in action on 13 July 1915 but has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey.
Additional Information
His widow received a pension of £1 3s a week for herself and her three children.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
