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Private Joseph Henry

 

 

Joseph Henry was born on 16 February 1899 at Dawson's Court, Portadown, County Armagh, the seventh of ten children of car driver Wallace Henry and his wife Sophia (née Taylor). His twin brother died at just seven months old. By the time of the 1911 Census Joseph was living with his parents and seven of his siblings at 54 Woodhouse Street, Portadown.

The date that Henry enlisted in the North Irish Horse is not known, but given his age it was probably in 1917 or 1918, after his eighteenth birthday. It is probable that he remained at the regimental reserve depot at Antrim until demobilised during 1919.

 

Henry's brother William George (below) also served in the war, in the 9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers. He was killed in action on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. His brother James, also in the 9th Battalion, was wounded on the same day.

 

Joseph Henry's brother, Larne Times and Weekly Telegraph, 20 January 1917

 

I am grateful to Mark Henry for permitting me to include the image of his grandfather Joseph on this page.