Capt
John Manuel Hensley
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 02/01/1897 |
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Place of birth: Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada |
General information
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Last known residence: Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada |
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Profession: University student |
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Religion: Presbyterian |
Army information
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Country: Canada |
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Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Captain |
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Enlistment date: 16/10/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 85th Bn. (Nova Scotia Highlanders) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 30/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Deck Wood - Ehards Grund, Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXXV Row: A Grave: 1 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 5
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Education | ||
| #4 | Enlistment place | ||
| #5 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
John Manuel Hensley was born in a well-off family in January 1897 in Windsor, Nova Scotia. His father later ran the Bank of Commerce in Summerside on Prince Edward Island. When a student at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, John enlisted in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was eventually assigned to the 85th Battalion, better known as the Nova Scotia Highlanders, part of the 12th Canadian Brigade of the 4th Canadian Division. He quickly rose through the ranks and in July 1917 he was acting Captain, though his appointment only came through after his death.
On the 30th of October 1917, the 12th Brigade took part in an attack, directly south of the ruins of Passchendaele. The 85th Battalion advanced along the Ypres-Roulers railroad, going towards Vienna Cottage, Tiber Copse and Tiber. The attack was divided in four groups: “A“ Company, led by Captain Hensley, advanced on the left along the Passendalestreet and took Tiber, “B” Company advanced on the right and attacked along the railway, ensuring the defence on the right flank, “C” company remained in the centre and took Vienna Cottage and “D” company was put up as a reserve.
At 5.50 am the 12th Brigade began the attack. Almost immediately they were met with heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. The Nova Scotia Highlanders were held up in No Man’s Land and a fierce fire fight erupted. When “D “Company was called in to reinforce the attack, the Germans retreated.
Despite the high number of casualties, the 12th Canadian Brigade managed to consolidate all its objectives by 8.30 am. During the rest of the day, the Germans were seen, trying to advance on Hill 13 and towards Passchendaele. Their progress was stopped by machine-gun fire from the 12th Brigade.
Captain Hensley, only 20 years-old, was killed instantly at the start of the attack. According to his ‘Circumstances of Death’ form he was shot through the heart at about 6.15 am. The young officer was buried along the Passendalestreet between Deck Wood and Tiber. After the War he was reburied in Tyne Cot Cemetery, Plot XXXV, Row A, Grave 1.
On the 30th of October 1917, the 12th Brigade took part in an attack, directly south of the ruins of Passchendaele. The 85th Battalion advanced along the Ypres-Roulers railroad, going towards Vienna Cottage, Tiber Copse and Tiber. The attack was divided in four groups: “A“ Company, led by Captain Hensley, advanced on the left along the Passendalestreet and took Tiber, “B” Company advanced on the right and attacked along the railway, ensuring the defence on the right flank, “C” company remained in the centre and took Vienna Cottage and “D” company was put up as a reserve.
At 5.50 am the 12th Brigade began the attack. Almost immediately they were met with heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. The Nova Scotia Highlanders were held up in No Man’s Land and a fierce fire fight erupted. When “D “Company was called in to reinforce the attack, the Germans retreated.
Despite the high number of casualties, the 12th Canadian Brigade managed to consolidate all its objectives by 8.30 am. During the rest of the day, the Germans were seen, trying to advance on Hill 13 and towards Passchendaele. Their progress was stopped by machine-gun fire from the 12th Brigade.
Captain Hensley, only 20 years-old, was killed instantly at the start of the attack. According to his ‘Circumstances of Death’ form he was shot through the heart at about 6.15 am. The young officer was buried along the Passendalestreet between Deck Wood and Tiber. After the War he was reburied in Tyne Cot Cemetery, Plot XXXV, Row A, Grave 1.
Sources 5
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Hayes J., The Eighty-Fifth in France and Flanders, (Halifax, Royal Print & Litho Limited, 1922), 90-96. Sources used |
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McCarthy Chris., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account (London, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018) 153. Sources used |
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Personnel Records of the First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 4280 - 12). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War diaries: 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4944, Microfilm reel number: T-10751--T-10752, File number: 454). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War Graves Registers: Circumstances of Death (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG 150, 1992-93/314; Volume Number: 191). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/463145 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=044ac5e0-608e-4ac4-adc3-749328251b87 |
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The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/463145 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5931783 |