Sergeant Henry Samuel Sinfield Ox & Bucks Light Infantry and Royal Engineers
The Man Henry Samuel Sinfield was born on Friday 9th June 1871 in Aspley Guise, Woburn, Bedfordshire, son of Richard Colton, a Shepard and Sarah Ann nee White a Monthly Nurse (a woman who looked after a mother and her baby during the postpartum or postnatal period). He was Baptised on 10th September 1871 and the youngest of nine children, Mary born in 1846, John 1848, Elizabeth 1851, Charles 1855, Benjamin Ahite 1857, Rebecca 1859, Alfred 1861 and Sarah 1864.
The census of 1881 shows the family living at 133 Mount Pleasant, Aspley Guise and Henry aged nine still at school. In June 1890 now aged 19 Henry became a Learner working for the General Post Office as a Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist in Iselworth, Hounslow, London, this appearing in the London Gazette of 25th July 1890. He cannot be found on the 1891 census but in December 1891 moved with the Post Office to Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.
It was in Gainsborough where he met and married Amy Winterborne on 10th May1892 aged 22. They had seven Children Hilda Mary (1892–1969), Sarah Ann (1895–1970), Ivy Winnifred (1897–1982), William Henry (1899–1978), Rebecca May (1902–1993), Beatrice Amy Gertrude (1908–1973), Bertha May (1909) - who appears to have died very young as no record can be found and as reflected in the later 1911 Census.
In January 1894 Henry moved again with the GPO to Bletchley, Buckinghamshire and in about 1900 enlisted into the Buckinghamshire Battalion Ox and Bucks Light Infantry Territorial Force with service No 242. In 1901 the family were living at 99 Aylesbury Street, Fenny Stratford, Bletchley and in 1911 at 5 Windsor Street, Henry still shown as a Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist at the Post Office.
In Army Order 205 of 1st July 1912, he was awarded his Territorial force Efficiency Medal as a Sergeant, before transferring to the Royal Engineers Postal Section with a new service number of 27559, which was more allied to his line of work and in preparation for the looming war.
At the start of World War I on 4th August 1914, Henry aged 43 was immediately mobilised as part of the British Expeditionary Force and drafted to the Western Front entering theatre on 22nd August 1914, helping fill the gap from the near destruction of the regular army. He served at the Retreat from Mons and fought at the Battles of Marne, Ypres and Givenchy being wounded at Loos in 1915 before being invalided home to the UK.
Following his recovery, Henry returned to France in 1916 serving on the Postal Staff until the Armistice in November 1918. He was then stationed with the Army of Occupation in Cologne and discharged in December 1919 aged 48 upon his return home.
Henry was awarded the 1914 Star with clasp ‘5th Aug- 22nd Nov’, the 1914-18 British War Medal and Victory Medal. He returned to work at the Post Office, as a Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist, retiring in 1931 aged 60 and was awarded his Imperial Service Medal, published in the London Gazette of 24th November 1931.
Following his retirement Henry lived with Amy at 13 Windsor Street, Bletchley and worked as Secretary of Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Working Men’s Club in Bletchley Road, until he passed away during the third quarter of 1944 aged 74. Amy followed him a few months later passing away in the first quarter of 1945 aged 76.
Such ended the life of an 'Old Soldier', who was born many years before World War I and yet did his duty aged 43, being involved in and wounded at some of the most poignant battles of the early stages of the war.
The census of 1881 shows the family living at 133 Mount Pleasant, Aspley Guise and Henry aged nine still at school. In June 1890 now aged 19 Henry became a Learner working for the General Post Office as a Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist in Iselworth, Hounslow, London, this appearing in the London Gazette of 25th July 1890. He cannot be found on the 1891 census but in December 1891 moved with the Post Office to Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.
It was in Gainsborough where he met and married Amy Winterborne on 10th May1892 aged 22. They had seven Children Hilda Mary (1892–1969), Sarah Ann (1895–1970), Ivy Winnifred (1897–1982), William Henry (1899–1978), Rebecca May (1902–1993), Beatrice Amy Gertrude (1908–1973), Bertha May (1909) - who appears to have died very young as no record can be found and as reflected in the later 1911 Census.
In January 1894 Henry moved again with the GPO to Bletchley, Buckinghamshire and in about 1900 enlisted into the Buckinghamshire Battalion Ox and Bucks Light Infantry Territorial Force with service No 242. In 1901 the family were living at 99 Aylesbury Street, Fenny Stratford, Bletchley and in 1911 at 5 Windsor Street, Henry still shown as a Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist at the Post Office.
In Army Order 205 of 1st July 1912, he was awarded his Territorial force Efficiency Medal as a Sergeant, before transferring to the Royal Engineers Postal Section with a new service number of 27559, which was more allied to his line of work and in preparation for the looming war.
At the start of World War I on 4th August 1914, Henry aged 43 was immediately mobilised as part of the British Expeditionary Force and drafted to the Western Front entering theatre on 22nd August 1914, helping fill the gap from the near destruction of the regular army. He served at the Retreat from Mons and fought at the Battles of Marne, Ypres and Givenchy being wounded at Loos in 1915 before being invalided home to the UK.
Following his recovery, Henry returned to France in 1916 serving on the Postal Staff until the Armistice in November 1918. He was then stationed with the Army of Occupation in Cologne and discharged in December 1919 aged 48 upon his return home.
Henry was awarded the 1914 Star with clasp ‘5th Aug- 22nd Nov’, the 1914-18 British War Medal and Victory Medal. He returned to work at the Post Office, as a Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist, retiring in 1931 aged 60 and was awarded his Imperial Service Medal, published in the London Gazette of 24th November 1931.
Following his retirement Henry lived with Amy at 13 Windsor Street, Bletchley and worked as Secretary of Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Working Men’s Club in Bletchley Road, until he passed away during the third quarter of 1944 aged 74. Amy followed him a few months later passing away in the first quarter of 1945 aged 76.
Such ended the life of an 'Old Soldier', who was born many years before World War I and yet did his duty aged 43, being involved in and wounded at some of the most poignant battles of the early stages of the war.
The Story The medals awarded to Henry Samuel Sinfield were acquired from Aberdeen Medals on 20th April 2023, having been mulled over for a few weeks. The interest arose because of the Imperial Service (Coronation Robes version) and Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, a sub-theme of this collection and not held in the collection.
A factor in the final decision to acquire them, was that upon checking Ancestry UK, there appeared to be only one Henry Samuel Sinfield, making research very straightforward. But crucially there were two good quality photographs of him in Royal Engineers Uniform at the start of World War I.
It proved to be an interesting story of an ‘Old Contemptible’, who was mobilised on day one of the War aged 43! Seeing action in some of the very early battles of the conflict and being wounded at Loos, nevertheless surviving.
Also overlooked at the time of acquisition was the fact he had been awarded the 5th Aug-22nd Nov clasp to his 1914 Star, so notwithstanding the double long service combination, a very pleasing group of medals in its own right.
A factor in the final decision to acquire them, was that upon checking Ancestry UK, there appeared to be only one Henry Samuel Sinfield, making research very straightforward. But crucially there were two good quality photographs of him in Royal Engineers Uniform at the start of World War I.
It proved to be an interesting story of an ‘Old Contemptible’, who was mobilised on day one of the War aged 43! Seeing action in some of the very early battles of the conflict and being wounded at Loos, nevertheless surviving.
Also overlooked at the time of acquisition was the fact he had been awarded the 5th Aug-22nd Nov clasp to his 1914 Star, so notwithstanding the double long service combination, a very pleasing group of medals in its own right.
Medal Details:
- 1914 Star: 27559 SJT. H.S.SINFIELD. R.E..
- 1914-18 British War Medal: 27559 SJT. H.S.SINFIELD. R.E.
- Victory Medal: 27559 SJT. H.S.SINFIELD. R.E.
- Imperial Service Medal: HENRY SAMUEL SINFIELD
- Territorial Force Efficiency Medal: 242 SJT. H.S.SINFIELD. BUCKS: BN: OXF & BUCKS: L.I.
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This page last updated 26 Apr 23
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