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Henry is our Dad's uncle, the brother of our grandfather George Hooper. On 6th March 1901 Henry aged 18 signed on to serve 8 years with the 9th Lancers. Their barracks were in Canterbury, where he was based for his first year. The regiment was posted to India in March 1902, and Henry stayed there with them until early October 1906. So he was in India at the same as his elder brother Alfred. Whether they met up while in India seems improbable but it might have happened if they had both taken leave at the same time. Henry left India for South Africa two weeks before Alfred died.
Henry stayed in South Africa for just over two years until 1909 when he was discharged aged 26 to the reserve for 12 years. Being in the reserve meant he could be called up again in times of emergency. Which came to pass later.
9th Lancers Cap Badge
9th Lancers Cap Badge
After he was discharged he lived initially with his mother in 11 Weaver Street, Bethnal Green. Later that same year when his mother died, she was at a different house in Weaver Street, so Henry probably hadn't stayed with her for very long.
He married Edith Walden on 25th April 1910. in Marylebone Register Office. Their first children were born early, three months later, twins Winifred and George. Sadly George died when he was less than a year old. Later in 1910 Henry got a job as a postman and the family moved to Paddington. They had another child Reginald in 1912.
1910 Postman uniform
1910 Postman uniform
On 5th August 1914, the day after war was declared, Henry was called up to serve again in the 9th Lancers. He was now aged 34, and with a wife and two young children at home it must have been difficult.
He was among the first of the troops sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force on 15th August 1914. His regiment was part of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade which sailed from Southampton to Boulogne on two ships the SS Welshman, and SS Armenian. He was involved in the early battles of the war, but the reality was that on the Western Front the cavalry rarely had a chance to act as a mounted mobile force but often fought dismounted as infantry. On the few occasions when they were sent into action on horseback, they often suffered appalling losses.
An early example of these losses was on 24 August 1914 at Audregnies during the Battle of Mons. The 9th Lancers on horseback charged a large body of German infantry who were advancing to encircle the 5th Division. This action was later compared to the Charge of the Light Brigade since it demonstrated great bravery but accomplished little. Later in the day the 9th Lancers helped to drag away British guns which were in danger of being captured. In this painting, the artist appears to have combined the two events. Captain Grenfell of the 9th Lancers was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in the battle.
Henry was wounded on 21st October 1914 in the First Battle of Ypres and transferred to hospital in England.
After a year he was sufficiently recovered to return to France in October 1915. He spent the next two years in France involved in several battles, Ypres (1915), Somme (1916), Arras (1917), Cambrai (1917) and came home to England for the last time in November 1917. He was discharged on 2nd June 1919 with chronic bronchitis and malaria. The malaria must have been a recurrence from his days in India and South Africa.
He was one of a distinct group of soldiers who served from the first day of the war, and was still serving when the war ended.
After he was demobilised Henry went back to his job with the post office and continued as a postman until he retired. His family went to live at 194 Carr Road, Walthamstow. Henry and Edith lived there for the rest of their lives.
Henry died aged 71 in 1952, and he was buried in Chingford Mount Cemetery, the same cemetery where his mother was buried.
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