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Brother – John E, Lincolnshire Regiment, and Missionary Jane
Henson (sister) Ontario, Canada.
There was clearly not much stability in his life outside of the
army.
Just months after leaving the army he married Nellie Dixon,
a spinster, at Kings Cliffe church on 23rd May 1910. They set
up home in Maltings Terrace, Kings Cliffe and he worked as a
railway labourer. Their first child, Gladys, was born in January
1911. Several children followed regularly after that –
Frederick William 1913
John 1915
Harold 1920
Jeffrey 1923
Kathleen 1926
George 1931.
It is difficult to imagine what it was like to try to adjust to civilian
life after 12 years of a regimented life in the army, particularly
with a young child in the house, who probably refused to be
subjected to discipline!
Four years after William left the army, on 5th August 1914,
Kitchener made his famous appeal for men to join the new
army. It was just six days later that William was at the recruiting
office at Northampton volunteering to re-join.
He became Private 123807 W. Henson, 6th Battalion,
Lincolnshire Regiment.
Kitchener’s campaign was attracting thousands of recruits every
day but there was a real shortage of NCOs to control and train
them. In less than a month William was promoted to Corporal
and then immediately to Lance Sergeant. Two weeks later he
becomes a full Sergeant .
After a year he was transferred to the 3rd Battalion Lincolnshire
Regiment, a training battalion. Whether he didn’t like this new
role, or possibly some other reason, within a month of the
change he had reverted to being a Private.
102
Brother – John E, Lincolnshire Regiment, and Missionary Jane
Henson (sister) Ontario, Canada.
There was clearly not much stability in his life outside of the
army.
Just months after leaving the army he married Nellie Dixon,
a spinster, at Kings Cliffe church on 23rd May 1910. They set
up home in Maltings Terrace, Kings Cliffe and he worked as a
railway labourer. Their first child, Gladys, was born in January
1911. Several children followed regularly after that –
Frederick William 1913
John 1915
Harold 1920
Jeffrey 1923
Kathleen 1926
George 1931.
It is difficult to imagine what it was like to try to adjust to civilian
life after 12 years of a regimented life in the army, particularly
with a young child in the house, who probably refused to be
subjected to discipline!
Four years after William left the army, on 5th August 1914,
Kitchener made his famous appeal for men to join the new
army. It was just six days later that William was at the recruiting
office at Northampton volunteering to re-join.
He became Private 123807 W. Henson, 6th Battalion,
Lincolnshire Regiment.
Kitchener’s campaign was attracting thousands of recruits every
day but there was a real shortage of NCOs to control and train
them. In less than a month William was promoted to Corporal
and then immediately to Lance Sergeant. Two weeks later he
becomes a full Sergeant .
After a year he was transferred to the 3rd Battalion Lincolnshire
Regiment, a training battalion. Whether he didn’t like this new
role, or possibly some other reason, within a month of the
change he had reverted to being a Private.
102
