Name
Henry Brace
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/03/1915
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7920
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 31 and 33.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
High Wych Village Memorial, We are not aware of any Allen's Green memorial
Pre War
Henry Brace was born in Allen's Green in 1887. In 1911 he was a nursery gardener and lodged with William and Annie Kempthorne at Stonards Lane. Henry volunteered for the first battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment and died near Ypres on 11th March 1915.
Recorded as born in Sawbridgeworth (probably the postal town for Allen's Green) and there (Allen's Green) when he enlisted in Bishops Stortford.
Wartime Service
Henry’s service number shows him to have been a ‘Regular’ professional soldier. He must therefore have enlisted sometime before 1914.
Henry served with the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. This was a regular Battalion and in March 1915 was stationed in the Ypres salient in Belgium. Although there was no major offensive here at this time, this was not a ‘quiet’ sector, and numerous small actions took place. The Battalion diary records a major trench raid on 11 March 1915. This was the date given for the death of Henry Brace and it is likely this is where he died. It was a confused action, with the British having to withdraw quickly. Henry Brace has no known grave.
He is named on the Menin Gate and High Wych Memorial Plaque. He was aged 27.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Theo van der Bilt, Douglas Coe
