Lance Corporal 2377 Henry Gething

BMD details:
Marriage: 12/04/1903 Henry GETHING to Elizabeth SEPHTON at Eccleston St Thomas

Family details:
Son of James Gething; husband of Elizabeth Gething, of 2, Elliott St., St. Helens. Served in the Sudan (1898), Egyptian and South African War.

Census details:
1881 - 7 years old Henry and his widowed father James (34) are boarding at 116 Beech Street, Monks Coppenhall, Crewe with the Palmer family. 1891 - 17 years old 'Sheet Glass Blowers Apprentice' Henry is living at 18 Devon Street, St Helens with remarried father James (44) wife Elizabeth (29) and two siblings: Hannah P (3), Mary E (2) 1901 - Serving in the Military. 1911 - Sees 37 years old 'Plate Glass Layer' Henry living at 12 Elliott Street, St Helens with wife Elizabeth (28) and four children: Ada (5), Lucy (4), Tryphosa (3), Alice (1)

The Silver War Badge rolls show that Henry enlisted on 26/08/1914 and was discharged on 12/05/1915 as a result of sickness. (S/N) Henry Gething first enlisted on the 5th Of July 1892 Joining the Lancashire Fusilers in Bury. He was then 19 Years Old. On the 26th of November 1892 he was posted to barracks at Poona in India where he remained until 1897 when he transferred to Quetta. On the 10th of January 1898 the battalion sailed from India to Egypt to see action in the Sudan. Henry was awarded the Queens Sudan Medal and the Khedive's Sudan Medal for his service at Khartoum. In 1898/99 the Battalion moved to Crete and Malta where Henry remained in Hospital. He saw out the first 7 years of his service in Malta before he was posted to Section B Army reserve. Henry was not home for long when he was recalled for service in South Africa on the 13th November 1899, sailing to join the 2nd Battalion on the 14th February 1900. Henry was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal and the Kings South Africa Medal for his service in the Second Boar War. On the 4th of July 1904 his front line service was over and he was again transferred to the reserves this time to section D where he served until the 10th of August 1908. Following his military service Henry Returned to St.Helens, adjusted to civilian life, married and had 5 Daughters!. On the 26th of August 1914 (only 3 weeks after war was declared) Henry again Volunteered for service joining the South Lancashire Regiment. He Was 40 Years Old!. Henry arrived in France on the 25th November 1914 being posted to the 2nd Battalion and at some point he was made up to Lance Corporal. The Battalion had already been badly mauled from continuous action at Mons, the Marne and the First Battle of Ypres. On the 29th December 1914 Henry was invalided home with frostbitten feet from the appaling conditions within the trenches at Flanders. For the next five weeks Henry was in hospital being almost unable to stand. A medical board ruled that his condition had been caused by "over exertion and exposure on active service". Henry was posted to administrative duties (3rd Reserve Battalion)on the 17th March 1915. He was discharged under Kings Regulations Paragraph 392, section XVI as being "no longer fit for military service" on the 17th of March 1915. Henry was awarded the 1914/15 Trio and Silver War badge plus a military pension for his service during the First World War. Henry died on the 20th September 1920 due to the delayed result of gas inhaled in the trenches. Henry is buried in St.Helens Cemetery (Picture to follow taken by myself of his CWGC Headstone). Also to follow is a picture of Henry in uniform. Henry was a brave soldier who served with honour throughout three main conflicts spanning over 15 years. No one could doubt his patriotic spirit or commitment which eventually cost him his life. Further Personal Information:- Henry was born in Mary Hill Glasgow. He was a Collier by trade living with his father at Devon Street St.Helens at the time of his first military enlistment. Henry was of average build being 5ft Six and a half inches tall and having a weight of 114 pounds. Henry himself decided to join the Lancashire Fusilers being given the number 4118. Henry lived at 2 Mason Yard Cottage on College Street after leaving his initial military service. At the Time of him re-enlisting for the Great War he was employed as a glass grinder living at Elliot Street with his wife Elizabeth and their five daughters. [pic]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/GethingH.jpg[/pic] [caption]The headstone of Lance Corporal Henry Gething at St Helens Cemetery (Photo courtesy of Jeff Keenan)