Capt Norman Henry (M.C.)

• Age: 23
• From: Latchford, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 8th May 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Norman Henry was born in the first quarter of 1895 in Latchford, Warrington, the son of Robert Henry and his wife Bertha (nee Pierpoint). They had married in 1894 atChrist Church, Latchford, Warrington. 

The 1901 Census shows the family resident at Oldfield Road, Altrincham.
His father Robert is a 33 years old Jeweller's cashier born at Warrington in 1868, whilst his mother  was born in Warrington in 1871. Norman is 6 years of age and his sister Marie P. is 4.  

The father Robert Henry died in December 1906 aged 39.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 23 Brelade Road, Liverpool.
His mother, Bertha is a 40 year old widow and the head of the household. Norman is 16 years of age and is shown as an office boy at the Corn Exchange, Liverpool. His sister, Marie Pierpoint is 14 and at school. She, like Norman was born in Latchford, Lancashire.

Norman enlisted in Liverpool in August 1914 joining the 6th Battalion as Private 1911. He earned a commission and was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment.

Gazetted 4th June 1917 - T/2nd Lt. Norman Henry, L'pool Reg.

He was awarded the Military Cross which was proudly reported on Saturday, 9th June, 1917 in the local press as follows:

A LIVERPOOL M.C.

Captain Norman Henry King's (Liverpool) Regiment, the only son of Mrs Bertha Henry and the late Robert Henry, Stoneycroft, was decorated with the Military Cross by the King at the last Investiture. Captain Henry won his award on June 5th last for good work on the Somme battlefield. He is an old scholar of Lister Drive School, Green Lane and a member of Messr's Herne and Co., corn merchants, Liver Building, Liverpool

MC FOR LIVERPOOL OFFICER

Second-Lieutenant Norman Henry, who has been awarded the Military Cross, joined up at the outbreak of the war, in August 1914, as a private in the 6th King's (Liverpool Rifles), and was drafted out to France on February 28 1915, was promoted Lance Corporal May 1915, and full Corporal April 1916. He entered the Marlbo Cadet School, Northern France on June 28, and was gazetted August the 14 1916 to the King's (Liverpool Regiment) Regiment. Second-Lieutenant Norman Henry is a son of the late Mr Robert Henry and resides with his mother in Stoneycroft, Liverpool. He is a member of staff at Messrs. Herne and Co. corn and flour merchants, Royal Liver Building.

Norman was serving as Captain when he was killed in action on the 8^th May 1918 aged 23 during the German Spring Offensive.  

The 17th Battalion were at this time in the Vierstraat Sector. the diary reports that the day passed quietly until the afternoon. The front line ran through Klein Vierstraat Cabaret. At 4.30 pm it was reported that the Germans had advanced and were now in " our original front line". At 7.10 pm A and B company's of the 17th Battalion were ordered to move forward in artillery formation from support line with object of co-operating with French troops who were advancing towards the enemy. At 08.10 pm the advance was reported to be going well on the left but nothing could be seen on the right. The situation at the end of the day was that the 17th Battalion were holding the line alongside several other units but casualties were heavy. Captain Norman Henry and Second Lieutenant Dudley Hammond Black were killed in action alongside 16 other ranks. 

Norman has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. 

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

His death was reported in the local press: 

LOCAL OFFICER KILLED

Captain Norman Henry M.C. (K.L.R.) was killed in action on May 8th. He was the only son of Mrs Bertha Henry, of Stoneycroft, and grandson of the late James Henry Wilderspool, of Warrington.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Bertha and she was awarded probate 4th November 1918 with effects of £204. She had supplied both Norman's and her own details to the CWGC as follows:

Son of Bertha Sparkes (formerly Henry), of Park Farm, Booth Road, Altrincham, and the late Robert Henry. 

She went on to remarry in 1922 to Andrew Curtis Sparkes at St Annes Church, Stanley, Liverpool. her second husband Andrew died March 1926 aged 71. 

Norman is commemorated on the following Memorials:

St Anne's Church, Stanley, Liverpool

Green Lane School

We currently have no further information on Norman Henry, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.