HENRY, Alexander Bruce

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Lucknow, Ontario
Regimental Number
651583
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
22 years 4 months
Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        1st Canadian Infantry Division
                                             1st Infantry Brigade
                                             1st Battalion - Western Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   651583
RESIDENCE:                     Lucknow – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            June 27, 1895
                                             Lucknow – Kinloss Township – Bruce County - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           November 6, 1917               22 years     4 months
MEMORIAL:                    Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial – Ypres –
                                             West Vlaanderen – Belgium
                                             Panel 10 & Panels 26-28
PARENTS                          Mr. Frank and Jennie Henry – Lucknow / Whitechurch – Ontario
Occupation:                        Student                                 Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         Lucknow – February 1, 1916 into 160th Bruce Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 20 years     6 months

Young Alex upon finishing public school attended Wingham High School for four years and in that time received his Junior Matriculation and Normal School Entrance. He was continuing his education for entrance to the Faculty of Education when he enlisted. Before leaving for Europe one hundred or more friends bid him good bye.
Private Henry departed from the port of Halifax bound for Liverpool on January 26, 1917. The S.S. Scandinavian arrived overseas on February 6, 1917. He transferred to the 1st Battalion and then on May 17th goes overseas into France and on June 4, 1917 joins his unit.
The previous two assaults onto Passchendaele had been by the 3rd & 4th Canadian Divisions but they were exhausted and heavily depleted and were relieved ny the 1st & 2nd Canadian Divisions. The 1st Division on November 6th would be advancing up the Bellevue Spur and then onto the Passchendaele Ridge itself north of the village. The 1st Battalion was to take Mosselmarkt by advancing south of the Passchendaele road.
The Battalion was in the vicinity of Passchendaele preparing for their advance. The barrage began at 5:50 am with the infantry advancing at 6:00 am, and “A” Company immediately encountered sniping and machine-gun fire from Graf House. These enemy positions were cleared. “B, C & D” Companies had little opposition until first objective taken when small enemy opoosition were cleared. “A”Company then had to move to left to avoid swampy ground. The first objective was taken at 6:30 am. “A & D” Companies dug in while “B & C” Companies leapfrogged and moved to second objective which was taken by 7:40 am.  “D” Company then followed and leapfrogged and with “B” Company in support took the final objective by 7:45 am.
Up to this point the enemy barrage had been behind the troops but machine gun fire was causing casualties.
From 11:30 am – 2:50 pm there was a severe enemy artillery bombardment which forced the men of the battalion low to the ground, and it is felt that it was during this bombardment when Private Henry lost his life in battle to the artillery shells of the enemy.