Name
Henry James Lewis
16 June 1881
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/05/1918
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
43328
Durham Light Infantry
1/7th 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 Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin
Pre War
Henry was born on 16 June 1881 in Whitechapel, London and baptised 11 September 1881. His parents were Henry James and Ellen Lewis.
In 1891 the family were living at 16 Heardress(?) Street, Lambeth, London. Present were both parents: Henry (45) and Ellen (38), with Henry (senior) working as a horsekeeper and groom. Their children were: Frank (14), George (13), John (11), Henry James (junior) (9), Robert (5), Samuel (3) and Mabel (1).
Henry James (senior) died in Lambeth in 1893.
In 1901 the remaining family were living at 14 Conderton(?) Road, Herne Hill, Lambeth, London. Present was widowed Ellen and children: William (28), John, Henry, now 18 was working as a painter’s labourer, Samuel (13) and Lilly (6). The also had a border - James Carol (50).der
Henry married Ruth Evangelina (sometimes recorded as Evangelila) Jessie Crumpton (b 20/7/1880) on 2 June 1906 at Saint John The Divine, Kennington: Vassall Road, Lambeth. At that time Henry was living at 4 Toulon Street, Lambeth and Ruth was at 36 Avenue (?) Road, Lambeth. Their children born before the 1911 census were: Henry Charles (b 12/4/1907), and William Frederick (b 1/1/1906). That census records the family living at 33 Conderton Road, Loughborough Junction London S E. and Henry as a house painter. The census recorded they had been married for 5 years with 2 children, both living.
More children were born later: George Edward (b 8/6/1911), Ellen Mabel (b 6/11/1913) and Alice Doris (b 8/6/1915)
.
Henry enlisted in Camberwell, into the 24th Bn. Kings King's Royal Rifles on the 10 December 1915, becoming Private 27087, and medically examined on 13 June 1916. He was then 34 years and 60 days old, married, living at 37 Furley Street, Peckham, London and was working as painter and described as 5’ 71/2” tall and 142lbs. and was immediately transferred to the Reserve – the 91st Training Reserve Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment
Officially He was recorded as born in Whitechapel and living in Peckham, when he enlisted in Camberwell.
Wartime Service
Henry was mobilized 13 June 1916 and went for training and on ‘Home’ service from 13 June 1916 to 10 October 1916 and landed in France on 11 October 1916. He was transferred to the 10th Durham Light Infantry on the 23 October 1916
He was wounded on 9 April 1917 and taken to No. 43 Field Ambulance and then to No. 35 Casualty Clearing Station – it possibly reads gun shot wound to right shoulder, but if so it must have been very minor as he returned to duty on the 11th.
He was promoted to acting Lance Corporal on the 21 April 1917. He was reported for being ‘Dirty on Parade’ on 28 August 1917, but only received a reprimand. Then, on 1 November 1917 confirmed as paid Lance Corporal on.
He received a gunshot or shrapnel wounds to his right arm (reports very) on 16 December 1917 and was returned to the UK on the 23rd, and was admitted to Brook War Hospital at Woolwich, where he remained until 8 January 1918. There is an entry indicating that he was in Ripon between 15 February 1918 to 5 April 1918. He received furlough as was able to return home to 3 West Alley, High Street, Hitchin before returning to France on 24 April 1918 and into the 1/7th Durham Light Infantry with his new service number 43328.
He was reported missing at Cambrai on 27 May 1918. At the time of his death his unit was the Pioneer Battalion as part of the 151st Brigade in the 50th Division of IX Corps operating under the 6th (French) Army on the final day of the Battle of the Aisne. At 1.00am on the 27th May 1918 the Germans launched a fearful bombardment of gas and high explosives followed by assault divisions of infantry from Rheims to Soissons. The 50 (Northumberland) Division were near the Chemin des Dames in the vicinity of Cerny about three miles north of the River Aisne. The Divisional artillery was destroyed, communication lines broken, forward trenches eliminated as the barrage ranged backwards and forwards in one of the most concentrated and effective bombardments of the war.
His family made at least two enquiries British Red Cross & Order Of St John, 2 August 1918 and 20 November 1918. It must be presumed that they were given no news and after a tortuous wait they were informed that he was presumed killed in action.
He has an entry in the National Roll of The Great War – these are usually place by the family and often contain information that believed to be true but had little means of checking it. They certainly believed that he fought at Ypres in Belgium and on the Somme in France
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Soissons Memorial to the Missing in France.
Additional Information
After his death £18 6s 5d was authorised to go to his widow Ruth, on 18 September 1919, including a war gratuity of £11.
His pension cards record Ruth Evangelina Jessie, his widow, as his dependant, living at 3 West Alley. High Street. Hitchin. She was awarded a widow’s pension of 13s 9d a week plus 24s 2d for the children from 27 January 1919 and a grant of £10 19 June 1919 The children were listed as Henry Charles (b 12/4/1907), William Frederick (b 1/1/1906), George Edward (b 8/6/1911), Ellen Madel (b 6/11/1913) and Alice Doris (b 8/6/1915)
Later the address was updated to 8 Leicester Cottage, Hitchin.
His widow signed for his British War Medal on 4 January 1921 and his Victory Medal on 22 August 1921. She also received his scroll and Death Plaque.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
