Henry enlisted on 1st November 1900. He was 18 years and 4 months old; was a Seaman by trade; and was living in Marylebone, London at the time. On 1st April 1901 he saw active service in South Africa. Henry entered the war in France on 18th August 1914 but was admitted into hospital on 29th August suffering with a Gastric Ulcer. He was evacuated to the UK, then discharged from the army "no longer physically fit for war service' on 7th November 1914, with a diagnosis of Tuberculosis.