Thomas Albert Henn was born on 20 April 1876 in Penge, Surrey (later Kent and now Greater London), a son of William Charles Henn (1855-1898) and Mary Ellen Henn née Adams (1852-1922). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1876 in the Croydon Registration District, Surrey (now Greater London).
In the 1881 census he is shown as Thomas A. Henn, aged 4 years and a scholar, living at 47 Swinbrook Road, North Kensington, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his parents and three siblings: William Frederick Henn (b.1875) - a scholar; Florence Kate Henn (b.1877) and Millicent Helen Henn (b.1879). His father was described as a journeyman butcher.
Having served in the militia in the 3rd (City of London) Royal Fusiliers he enlisted on 11 November 1895 as Albert Henn, a Private in the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, service number 5030, giving his occupation as a labourer. He saw service in both India and South Africa where he was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal having taken part in the Second Boer War. On completion of serving 7 years with the colours he was discharged for 5 years into the Army Reserve on 11 November 1902.
He married Alice Maud Slaughter (1882-1973) on 12 April 1903 at Christ Church, Notting Hill, London and was shown in the marriage register as Albert Thomas Henn, aged 20 years (he was in fact aged 26 years), a bachelor and carman living at 19 Swinbrook Road. North Kensington. His father was shown as a deceased butcher. His wife was described as aged 19 years and spinster, also residing at 19 Swinbrook Road, the daughter of Charles Slaughter, a carman.
On the April 1911 census return form he named and signed himself as Albert Henn, aged 34 years and a carman living at 44 Enbrook Street, Queens Park, Paddington, London, with his wife. Although married for seven years the couple were shown as childless.
In September 1911 as Thomas Albert Henn, he was appointed as a Postman in Paddington transferring to the Western District Office in May 1912 and re-graded there as a Porter on 28 October 1915.
He joined the The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own), service number 45339 and said that he had previously served in the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment. He was attached to the 5th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) when he died, aged 42 years, suffering from influenza on 27 October 1918, in the No.2 General Hospital, Quai De Escales, Le Havre, France and is buried in Division 62, Plot 2, Row I, Grave 6, in the Sainte Marie Cemetery, 2 Rue Eugène Landoas, 76620 Le Havre, France.
Electoral registers in 1918 show him and his wife listed at 39 Lancefield Road, North Kensington, London.
On 2 December 1918 his widow was awarded a pension and gratuity payment of £88-1s-6d by the General Post Office. His army effects and his £12-0s-0d war gratuity that totalled £16-7s-8d were sent to his widow on 17 July 1919. Probate records confirm his address to have been at 39 Lancefield Road, North Kensington and that when administration of his estate was granted to his widow on 9 October 1919 his effects totalled £146-0s-0d. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'HENN, T. A.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website, on the London War Memorial website, the Royal British Legion's Every One Remembered website and on page 172 of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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