Soldier Record

My grandfather Henry George Dorken, Harry as he was always known, worked as a law clerk at the London County Council. In December 1913 he joined the 15th Battalion London Regiment, the Prince of Wales Own Civil Service Rifles. The Battalion was sent to France on St Patrick's Day 1915 and fought in a number of battles during 1915 and 1916 - Loos, Festubert, Vimy Ridge and the Somme. On 15 September 1916 the Battalion attacked and took High Wood suffering very high casualties. My grandfather was shot in the left shoulder and invalided out of the army. He never regained the use of his left hand. In 1973 he returned to High Wood and visited the London Cemetery there to see the graves of many of his old colleagues. Although he rarely spoke of his experiences, he was very proud of his service and attended the annual battalion reunion dinners until he died of cancer in 1976.

A photo was taken just before my grandfather left for France in March 1915. He gave the photo to his sweetheart, Hilda Richardson, and took with him to France a photo of her. He carried the photo with him throughout his time in France. They married in 1919.