DOWDING Henry James

Awarded Military Medal (M.M.)

Henry Dowding enlisted as a Private in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force on 5th January 1916 at Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canada.  On his attestation form he gave his date of birth as 7th May 1891 in Shelsley Kings, Stamford Bridge, Worcestershire, England, his occupation as a labourer and his next of kin as his father John Dowding of the same address.  He had no previous military service.  Henry was 5 feet 7 inches tall with blue eyes, medium brown hair and a medium complexion.

Henry sailed at Halifax, Canada on 15th December 1916 on the S.S. Olympic, arriving in Liverpool, England on 16th December 1916.  He remained in England until 31st May 1917 when he proceeded overseas to join the 78th Battalion Canadian Infantry.  Henry was granted 2 weeks leave in England from 28th December 1917 but did not re-join his unit until 28th January 1917 due to his admission to hospital in Worcester, England on 9th January 1918 suffering from bronchitis.  On 4th May 1918 he was awarded the Military Medal:
For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during the attack on PASSCHENDAELE RIDGE on October 30th 1917.  This man was one of a Lewes Gun crew, the remaining personal of which all became casualties and he himself was buried and severely shaken by concussion.  On recovering he found that he was in possession of nothing but the spare parts of his gun, upon which he searched for the gun, picked up 8 Lewes gun magazines from casualties and personally carried the whole to the final objective, where he set up the gun and brought it into action against the retiring enemy, inflicting very heavy casualties.  His determination, skill, and courage was a factor of the days operations.

Henry Dowding died of wounds received in action (shell gas) on 1st February 1918 at No 12 Canadian Field Ambulance.