Born: 25 September 1868, Islington
Died: 1 July 1916, Somme
Buried: Serre Road Cemetery
Address: 15 Norman Drive, Eccleshill
Parents: James Henry & Adlaide
Spouse: Jennie, nee Hodges
Siblings: Eight
Occupation: Railway estate agent
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Cpl
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill, Park and St Luke’s
Children: HIlda, Marjorie, Norah, Alec, Ronald
Regiment:Bradford Pals
Henry Martin Finch Johnson
Henry Martin Finch Johnson was
born on the 25th September 1868 in
Islington, the eight of nine children
of James Henry and Adelaide
Johnson.
Henry married Jennie Hodges in
1890 in Basford, Nottinghamshire
and by 1901 the family had moved
to Shipley living at 15 Granville
Road.
Henry was working as a railway
district estate agent and two
children had been born to them,
Hilda Mary Finch in 1891 and
Marjorie Lizzie in 1896, both born
in Nottinghamshire. There followed
Norah Annie in 1901, Alec Henry
in 1904 and Ronald Lewis in 1908.
The family moved around, living at
2 Lenton Villas, Idle in 1906 and at
43 Shipley Fields during the years
1907 to 1910. In 1911 the family
had moved to 71 Aireville Drive,
Frizinghall and Henry is still
working as a railway district estate
agent for the Midland Railway
Company in Bradford.
When Henry enlisted in the
September of 1914 the family were
living at 15 Norman Drive,
Eccleshill.
He enlisted as Corporal 16/362 in
the 16th Battalion of the West
Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of
Wales Own). He was 45 years old.
Henry joined the Battalion when it
was formed in September 1914 by
the Lord Mayor of Bradford.
In December 1915 the Battalion
moved to Egypt to guard the Suez
Canal and in March 1916
transferred to the Western Front in
readiness for the forthcoming
Battle of the Somme.
At 7.30am on the 1st of July 1916
Henry’s battalion as part of the 31st
division was one of the first to go
over the top to attack the German
line and he was one of the twelve
men on the St Luke’s, Eccleshill,
memorial to lose his life on this
date. He was killed in action at the
age of 48 years.
Henry is buried at Serre Road No. 1
cemetery started in May 1917 when
the British V Corps cleared the
battlefield of soldier’s remains after
the territory came into British
hands.
Many soldiers killed in the British
Offensive 1st July 1916 had been
irretrievable for many months and
could not be identified and were
buried in the Serre Road
Cemeteries.
Henry left his effects to his widow
Jennie who received £1.15.6d on
the 21st October 1916 and a War
Gratuity of £9.0.0d on the 17th
September 1919.
.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
