At some stage before WWI Henry moved to London in search of work. He lived in Brixton. Soon after the outbreak of WWI he attempted to join the London Scottish regiment, but was turned down because he wore glasses. So instead he volunteered for the RAMC. After receiving a basic first-aid training, he was assigned to the 95th Field Ambulance and sent to France. He was mentioned in dispatches after an incident in which he rescued several wounded men from the battlefield while serving on the Western Front. As a result he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal ""For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When in charge of a collecting post which was blown up, he evacuated all the wounded safely, making three journeys through heavy barrage. He continued on duty for eight days without relief." After the war, he returned to civilian life. He married, settled in SW London and brought up a family. For most of his working life he taught Mechanical Engineering at what is now the University of Surrey. During WWII, he volunteered as a Fire Watcher in SW London. On one occasion he had a narrow escape when an enemy bomb landed near his family's home and blew the windows out. At the end of WWII, he retired from teaching and the family moved to the South Coast. [Information kindly provided by Henry's grandson Andrew]