Born in 1894, William Hendry was the son of Agnes Hendry and Thomas Hendry, a refrigerating engineer. In 1911, they lived at 113 Mortlake Road, Ilford, Essex. William had been born in Renfrewshire in Scotland and was one of Ilford’s sizeable Scottish community. He attended Coopers Company School in Bow from 1907 to 1910 and was working as a stockbroker’s clerk when he enlisted to the Middlesex Regiment, 17th Battalion, at the outbreak of war in September 1914.
William Hendry was killed during the aftermath of the Battle of Somme which began on 1st July 1916. The losses during the battle were catastrophic and with minimal advances. Hendry was one of the 420,000 who died between the 1st July and the 13th November 1916 on the Somme battlefields.
William Hendry’s body was never identified. His name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Some information / extracts have been reproduced with kind permission of Karen Pack from her book ‘Coopers’ Boys & Coborn Girls: Their Part in the Great War’ © Karen Pack, 2015
Sources:
Ancestry.com
ICHS school records and magazines
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Only son of Mr & Mrs Thomas Hendry of Ilford. Born at Renfrew 10th September, 1894, and educated at the Coopers' company’s School, Bow. He was engaged in a London Bank, and became a valued member of the Ilford Presbyterian Football and Tennis Clubs. Having previous joined the 14th Battalion County of London Regiment (London Scottish),he, like his friends, volunteered for foreign service, and proceeded to France on 15th September, 1914. Served in the trenches through the first battle of Ypres. After experiencing the hardships and dangers of that winter, was invalided home with frostbite in February, 1915. Gazetted in June, 1915, and received a commission in the 17th (Footballers) Battalion Middlesex Regiment. In November, I915, was again in France, and, on 27th July, 1916, was killed in action at Delville Wood in the battle of the Somme. His Colonel put on record his opinion that Lieut. Hendry gave great promise of becoming a most brilliant officer. He died leading his men.
Reproduced from Ilford Scottish Association book of Remembrance (a book of Remembrance for soldiers who fought in the First World War produced by Ilford Scottish Association c.1920)