# My Great Uncle Private Henton



## s1chris (Nov 10, 2013)

Hello all,

With rememberence day only tomorrow I thought I would share my family's loss during WW1.

My Great Uncle serves with the British Army in the Oxford and Bucks light infantry.
Sadly he was killed 25th September 1915.

I have visited te Menin Gate on a couple of occasions but sadly have never been able to find out more about what happened on the day of his death. 

Is anybody able to help out and tell me more? 
What was happening around the Ypres area that day?

Here's a copy of the certificate courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commision -







Cheers Chris

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## Milosh (Nov 10, 2013)

Have you visited or contacted the Oxford Museum?

The Battle of Loos, *25 September* - 18 October 1915 
Battle of Loos - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry 5th Bn.

5th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Oxford in August 1914 as part of K1 and placed under orders of 42nd Brigade in 14th (Light) Division.
21 May 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
27 April 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
16 June 1918 : transferred to 16th Division.and returned to England.
20 June 1918 : absorbed by 18th Bn, the Gloucestershire Regiment.


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## s1chris (Nov 10, 2013)

Thanks Milosh. 

Looks like the battle of Loos could be the story behind his loss then.
Just reading the Wiki account of this battle stirs emotion. 
Our own boys killed by the Chlorine gas blowing back over the allied lines and the accounts of seeing men dead hanging in the barbed wire. With him having no known grave I think I can now
Understand why.

I have never looked into it properly but am starting to now. 
I'm also looking into the ships that by other great uncle served upon while on escort duty in the battle of the Atlantic during WW2. 

Does anybody know if it's possible to check if medals were issues etc? 
Sadly even my grandparents aren't here now to enquire further.

Cheers Chris


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## stona (Nov 10, 2013)

There are all sorts of records available for people who served in the armed forces of the UK.
You could start with a search on one of the online genealogy sites. As family you will be able to access your relatives service record which will include any awards.
If your other great uncle was RN or RNVR the same applies. Merchant records are a little more difficult.

There may also be some associations for the Ox and Bucks or even ships your relatives served on. Such organisations are usually willing to help, particularly direct relatives of their old comrades.

Cheers

Steve

Edit. I just noticed that your relative lost in WW1 was thirty seven years old. He was a relatively old soldier at the time. Was he an old regular? If so you should be able to obtain much more information.


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## s1chris (Nov 10, 2013)

Hi Steve,

My Greay Uncle on the convoys is no problem regarding research. 
He lived until 100 and only passed away in 2007. We have a list as long as your arm of the ships he sailed on. 
His role was to go down in the rowing boats and pick up survivors. He daughter lives local to me (other side of the family) and 
I'm just starting to go through it with her. 
In fact she was born in 1939 and her dad's details on her birth certificate list him as being on HMS Basilisk at the time.

Will start looking into Joesph Henton now. Especially with the centenary approaching.

Cheers Chris

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## stona (Nov 10, 2013)

s1chris said:


> Will start looking into Joesph Henton now. Especially with the centenary approaching.
> Cheers Chris



Good luck with your search. I'm sure that you will be able to uncover details of his time in the Army.

He was certainly remembered today.

Your other relative sounds like he was RN so you should be able to get plenty of information on his service career, above that which family can provide. Your great uncle may well have been at the Battle of Narvik! I wonder if he was still with _Basilisk_ when she was sunk during the Dunkirk evacuation?

Steve

Edit. I just saw that Henton was aged 37 when he was lost. That is really quite old and makes me wonder if he was an old regular. If he was you will be able to obtain much more information from his record.
Alternatively he might have had some special skill, like a miner.


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## s1chris (Nov 10, 2013)

Now that makes sense. 
Their home town of Bedworth was a mining town so it wouldn't surprise me if he did work down the mines. 

I did already ask the question if other uncle was onboard when it sunk, she said that he wasn't. 
A couple of others he was on were the HMS Scarborough HMS Alornia and HMS Decoy. 
I'm going to model at least one if not all of them.

Will update if I unearth anything interesting. 

Cheers Chris


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## Njaco (Nov 10, 2013)

http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/CGSC/CARL/nafziger/915BXAD.pdf

This is a great site on the battle...

The Battle of Loos 1915


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## s1chris (Nov 11, 2013)

Excellent, thanks. I'll get researching.

Cheers Chris


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