As you drive through Henham, a small war memorial stands in the middle of the village. However, these are not the only men and women who gave their lives for their country. The War Memorial was unveiled on Sunday 6th March 1921 by W. Foot Mitchell Esq of Quendon with the Revd J. Farley. The cost to erect the monument was from public donations. The plaque is of Sicilian marble and is on rustic granite.
There are 15 names on the War Memorial who never returned from World War I and one addition who never returned from World War II. Each year the villagers hold a memorial service of remembrance for the fallen at the War Memorial.
Details of the dedication.
There are a further two burials in St Mary’s Church, Henham of two servicemen, one from each war.
Here is a list of people identified as enlisted for service in or before World War I.
Details of Henham residents enlisted in World War II
Useful websites for researching military records.
(The photographs of the memorials are kindly provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who were created to maintain all war graves around the world of British and Commonwealth Servicemen). Each person has a hyperlink for further details of their military service.
 | BENTLEY, William Arthur, Private, died 02/11/1917, aged 18, Service No. 250925 Essex Regiment 5th Battn. Son of William John and Amy Bentley, of High St, Henham, Essex. He is remembered Panels 33 to 39 Jerusalem Memorial |
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 | BRAND, William George, Private, died 04/09/1918, aged 18, enlisted, Saffron Walden, Essex. Service No.33201, East Surrey Regiment, 12th Battalion, Killed in action, France & Flanders, Memorial Voormezeele Enclosure No. 3, Belgium. Son of George and Elizabeth Brand of Woodend Green. |
 | CAMP, Albert W, Stoker 1st Class K/7386, Royal Navy. Last served on HMS ‘Bacchante’ died aged 24 on 27th Feb 1920. Albert was born 20 Mar 1892 in Debden son of Albert Camp and Jane Freeman, buried at Henham. Albert was a serving naval officer prior to the outbreak of war. Awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. |
| CAMP, Frank Percy, Private, died 01/07/1916 aged 24, enlisted Saffron Walden, Service No. 14477, Essex Regiment, 10th Battalion Killed in action, France & Flanders. Remembered on Thiepval Memorial, Somme France. | |
| DENNISON, Arthur John, Gunner died 05/09/1917 aged 19, enlisted Saffron Walden. Service No. 326450, Royal Garrison Artillery, Clyde, Killed in action, France & Flanders. Zonnebeke, West Flanders, Belgium. Son of James and Mary Ann Dennison of North Hall Farm Henham | |
| DIXON, Joseph William, Private, died 04/09/1918, aged 20, enlisted Warley, Essex. Service No. 41854, Hertfordshire Regiment, Killed in action, France & Flander. Buried at Ruyaulcourt Pas-de-Calais. Son of Edward and Harriet Dixon of The Row | |
 | DUNN Horatio James Rennie, died 01/06/1940 aged 23. Service No. 33411 Royal Air Force Pilot. Son of George Dunn and of Rose Hannah Dunn (nee Pearce) of Filton Bristol and husband of Denise Dunn (nee Foster). Buried at St Mary's churchyard, Henham. |
 | HEARD, Basil Claud Christmas, Private died 23/10/1916 aged 19, enlisted Henham. Service No. 40078, Essex Regiment 2nd Battalion Killed in action, France & Flanders. He was fighting at Les Beouf around Dewdrop and Zenith trenches in the afternoon. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial. |
| INGOLD, Henry William, Private died 28/09/1918 aged 20 enlisted Henham, Service No. G/61270 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), 24th Battalion. Private, Killed in action, France & Flanders. He is buried at Flesquieres Hill British Cemetery. Formerly 3908, Essex. REGT, | |
 | JOHNSON William Hayden, Private, died 09/04/1917 aged 20, enlisted 20 Oct 1916. Warley, Essex, Service No. 32231, Essex Regiment 2nd Battalion, Killed in action, France & Flanders. He is buried at Fampoux British Cemetery. |
| KING, Frank, Private Died 24/12/15 Aged 31, enlisted Birmingham. Service No. 1321, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 16th Battalion. Died of wounds, France & Flanders. Buried at Corbie Communal Cemetery. | |
| SMITH, Clifford, Private, died 26/08/1918 aged 23, enlisted Colchester Service No. 355218 2nd/7th Bn London Regiment, killed in action (died of wounds). Buried at Daours Communal Cemetery | |
| TURNER, Albert Thomas, Lance Corporal died 07/04/1918 aged 25 enlisted Saffron Walden. Service No. 34144 Essex Regiment 9th Battalion Died of wounds France & Flanders, Supplementary Notes : formerly 2611, Essex Yeomanry. He is buried at St. Hilaire Cemetery Extension, Frevent. | |
| TURNER, Reginald Vincent, Private, died 30/04/1917 aged 20, enlisted Saffron Walden, Essex, Service No. G/43082, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), 4th Battalion. Killed in action, France & Flanders. Formerly 11947, Royal Flying Corps. Buried at Cemetery Etaples, France. | |
| WARNER, Frederick, Acting Corporal died 28/04/1917 aged 26, enlisted Saffron Walden, Service no 14444, Essex Regiment, 13th Battalion. Killed in action, France & Flanders. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. | |
| WHITE, Walter, Private, died 20/07/1916 aged 23. Enlisted Saffron Walden. Service No. 10764, Essex Regiment, 10th Battalion. Killed in action, France & Flanders. Remembered on Thiepval Memorial, Somme France. His two brother’s Ernest and Percy survived the war. | |
| WILLETT, (Dick) Richard, Private, died 30/10/1914, aged 20. Enlisted Hertford. Service number 10019, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment Killed in action, France & Flanders. Remembered at Menin Gate Memorial. | |
| NAPIER Robert David died 23/05/1945 age 21 Sub-Lieutenant (A), Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, on board H.M.S. Ruler in the Pacific Ocean, Son of Henry Andrew Muter Napier and Catherine Frances Sydney Napier, of Henham, Essex. See World War II for more details. Commemorated on the memorial at Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire. | |
| The Additional Names on the Church Memorial | |
| Inside the church of St. Mary's Henham, there are two rolls of honour and a marble memorial for those serving in World War I. There is also a plaque to commemorate all those that served during World War II. The marble memorial was dedicated on Easter Sunday April 1920. | |
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| The list below are the other names that are not on the War Memorial | |
| Stanley Fisher, Private died 12/05/1917 aged 22. Enlisted Service no. L/16730 2nd Bn. Royal Fusiliers, formerly 19151, 9th Res. Cavalry. Buried at Duisans British Cemetery Etrun. | |
| Herbert Bendall , died 28/04/1917 aged 23 born Newport, Essex resided at Ugley. Enlisted Service No. 12069 Essex Regiment. Remembered on Arras Memorial. | |