Lieutenant, Henry Otto LORD
Aged 20
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Henry Otto Lord was born in Kentford on 29th May 1896 (Mildenhall Q2-1896 4A:818) the son of Henry and Frieda Catkinka Mary Johanna LORD (née LUBBEN).
1901 census... Aged 4, he was living at Kentford Lodge with his father Henry LORD [49] living on own means, born Newmarket; his mother Frieda [28] born Germany (British subject by marriage), and his brothers James W.[3] and Charles L.[3 months] all the children were born in Kentford. 1911 census... Aged 14, he was a pupil at "Cheltonia" Darley Road, Eastbourne (John Meggs, Head). His parents and brother George[4] born Kentford, were still at Kentford Lodge. He went on to Christ's College, Cambridge. |
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At Felsted School he was Lance Corporal in the Officer Training Corps from September 1912 until July 1915 when he left school. Awarded a temporary commission on 19th October 1915 he went to School of Instruction, Imperial Hydro, Hornsea, Yorkshire. He enlisted in Newmarket. He joined Base Depot at Etaples on 30th May 1916 and joined his battalion in the field on 7th June 1916. His effects, sent to his father in Kentford, were 1 revolver holster, a water flask and some letters. As an officer he must have been seconded to another battalion since the 26th (where he is detailed by CWGC) only lost 4 officers that day and no other ranks. This indicates that the 26th were not involved in the 1st day of the Battle of the Somme. The Manchester Regiment battalions involved were the 2nd, 16;17;18;19;20;21 and 22nd. There is reference in his service record to the 20th Battalion who were the "5th City" battalion and part of 22nd Brigade in 7th Division. They were on the right of Fricourt and suffered badly at Sunken Road Trench, the day's toll being 124 killed of which 100 actually have identified graves in Dantzig Alley Cemetery. The Manchester Regiment as a whole took great punishment, having a total of 709 killed, just a few of the nearly twenty thousand British killed that day. 197 are buried in Dantzig Alley, 469 have no known grave. Henry Lord was initially buried as shown below and re-interrred in Dantzig Alley after the war In the church of St Mary's Kentford is an east window, from about 1920, a memorial to Henry Otto LORD, whose panes depict the Resurrection, the Ascension, and Christ in Majesty. On the centre light a boy is depicted in shining armour kneeling before the cross, with St Mary's church in the background.. |
left light - centre light - centre top - right light
photo; Roy Beardsworth
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details