Year of birth: 1885

Place of birth: South Shields, Durham, England, United Kingdom

Last known residence: Nunhead, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Profession: Insurance Agent

Country: England, United Kingdom

Force: British Expeditionary Force

Rank: Bombardier

Service number: 21924

Enlistment place: Camberwell, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Units:  —  Royal Field Artillery, "A" Bty. 187th Bde.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 20/09/1917

Place of death: Bedford House, Zillebeke, Belgium

Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.)

Age: 32

1914-15 Star Medal

British War Medal Medal

Victory Medal Medal

Henry Giles, a former insurance agent, was born on 12 November 1885 at South Shields, Durham, England. He was the son of Henry and Margaret Giles. At a young age the family moved to the London area. He was educated at Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College and a regular attendant of St. Mary Magdalene Church at Peckham, where he was also the secretary of a football club. He married Violet Elizabeth Clegg at Nunhead on 4 February 1909 and had two daughters. In 1915 Henry Giles enlisted at Camberwell. He served a bombardier in “A” Battery, part of the 187th Brigade Royal Field Artillery, of the 41st Division.

In early September 1917, the 187th Brigade Royal Field Artillery was stationed at Boeschepe, France. New positions were prepared on September 7 between Zillebeke and Verbrandemolen, near the Ypres-Courtrai railway. In the night of 12-13 and 13-14 September, the batteries occupied their new positions. The HQ was located near Nard Farm - Turin Farm, Dickebusch. The 187th Brigade supported the Battle of Menin Road Ridge on 20 September 1917. On both 19 and 20 September the brigade reported multiple casualties, killed, wounded, or gassed.

Henry Giles, aged 32, died of wounds on September 20, 1917. He is buried at Bedford House Cemetery, Enclosure No.2, plot I, row E, grave 21. It’s unclear where Bombardier Giles succumbed to his wounds. Bedford House Cemetery is located in-between the gun positions near Zillebeke and the Advanced Dressing Station of the 139th Field Ambulance at Voormezele.

139 Field Ambulance (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 95/2629/1). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

187 Brigade Royal Field Artillery (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO-95-2625-2). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Bombardier Henry Giles (Find a Grave) https://findagrave.com/memorial/11583297 Sources used

British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

British Army World War I Service Medal and Awards Rolls, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 329). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG13). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

London Church of England Parish Registers (London Metropolitan Archives, London (LMA), P73/MMG/033). https://search.lma.gov.uk/ Sources used

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/483222

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=7dd44222-8744-4c3f-9871-3e30939fc70d

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/1758672