Rifleman 57846 Henry Albert Swinney

• Age: 19
• From: Seaham Harbour Durham
• Regiment: 1/6 Kings
• Died on Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Henry Albert Swinney was born in 1898 in Seaham Harbour, Durham. He was the son of John and Mary Elizabeth Swinney (nee Hoy) of 4A, Albert St., Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. They had married in 1894.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 36, Viceroy Street, Seaham Harbour, Dawdon, Easington, Durham.

The father John Robert aged 30, born 1871 is a glass bottle finisher and was born in Sunderland. His wife Mary is aged 27, born 1874 in Haswell, Durham and has no occupation listed. They have three children at the time of the Census, John Robert (Jnr) aged 5, born 1896, Henry Albert aged 3, born 1898 and Nicholas aged 1, born 1900. Their children were all born in Durham.   

The 1911 Census shows the family now living at 3 Stewart St, Seaham Harbour, Dawdon, Durham.

The father John Robert aged 40, is still employed as a glass bottle finisher and his wife Mary is aged 37 and has no occupation listed. They have been married for sixteen years and have had seven children of which two died. At the taking of the Census, all their children are still living at home, John Robert (Jnr) aged 15, is employed as a stationary engineman working in a coal mine, Henry Albert aged 13, Nicholas aged 11, Reginald aged 8, born 1903 and Harriet Hoy aged 7, born 1904 are all at school.


He enlisted in Sunderland and embarked for France with the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment on 23rd May 1917 as Private No 57846. He was formerly 127 in the Army Cyclist Corps.. 

He was posted to the 1/6th Battalion on 09th June 1917.

He was killed in action on 31st July 1917, aged 19 years during the opening day of the 3rd Battle of Ypres, more commonly referred to as Passchendaele.

Henry has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

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