Name
Henry (Harry) Lazenby
22 May 1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/05/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
36205
Gloucestershire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
SOISSONS MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary’s Church Memorial Book, Hitchin
Pre War
Henry or Harry, as he was known, was born on 22 May 1899 in West Derby, a suburb of Liverpool and his parents were John Henry and Alice Lazenby as their family information fits.
In 1901 the family were living at 6 Ebenezer Road, West Derby, Liverpool. Present were both parents: John (24) and Alice (23), with John and working as a clock and watchmaker. Their only child was Harry (1).
As a boy he attended Fircroft Road School from about 1907-1909, then Lawn Lane Council School between 1909 and 1910.
He had won a County Council School scholarship for Strand School, Kings College, London and was admitted there on 13 September 1910 – at that time he was living at Lambeth, London.
By 1911 the family had moved to 12 Radbourne Road, Balham, London SW. Both parents were present, John now working as a foreman clockmaker. The census recorded they had been married for 12 years with 3 children, all living. The children were recorded as Harry (11), Frank Stanley (9) and Constance Elizabeth (1).
Harry was recorded as leaving the school on 30 July 1912. He passed the London University Junior School Examination in July 1913. His school records show that he went on to become a journalist.
Had worked in Birmingham but moved to Hitchin to join the staff of the North Herts. Mail in Hitchin in 1916 and was said to be a bright youth with a mental development much beyond his years and gave every promise of a brilliant future.
He was a member of the Hertfordshire branch the National Union of journalists and had contributed to the pages of the union journal during his brief soldier days.
His younger brother was also recorded as living in Hitchin.
Officially Harry was recorded as born in West Derby, Liverpool and enlisting in Hitchin.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hitchin and was allocated Regimental Number 36205 and posted to the 8th Service Battalion which was part of the 57th Brigade in the 19th Division. He was killed in action in France.
For the series of attacks known as the Offensive in Champagne, the Division moved up to the line during the night of the 28/29th May 1918 in buses and came under the control of IX Corps which in turn was under the control of the 6th French Army.
He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Soissons Memorial to the Missing in France.
The news of his death was conveyed to his parents by his Captain.
He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Soissons Memorial to the Missing in France.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
