Simons, HL
(1878 - 1915)
Key Facts
DATE OF BIRTH:
2nd March 1878
YEARS ATTENDED THE COLLEGE:
1890 - 1896
HOME ADDRESS WHEN AT THE COLLEGE:
Knightwick, 48 Crystal Palace Park Road, Sydenham
REGIMENT
29th Vancouver Battalion, Canadian Infantry
FINAL RANK:
Private
DATE OF DEATH:
3rd November 1915
AGE AT DEATH:
37
WHERE HE DIED (or was wounded)
Messines
LOCATION OF GRAVE OR MEMORIAL:
Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery. I B 23
Private Henry Lovell Simons
Henry was born on March 2nd 1878, the second of ten sons who were among twelve children born to Alfred Simons, an ex-Army Lieutenant, and his wife, Amy, whom he had met whilst serving in Jamaica. Henry started at Dulwich in February 1890, the first of what would eventually be five Simons brothers to pass through the College, and was a pupil for the next six and a half years. He left the College in the summer of 1896, and subsequently went out to Canada. Whilst in North America he joined the North West Mounted Police, precursors of what would eventually become the modern-day RCMP, or Mounties, and served as a member of the Yukon Division.
Upon the outbreak of war in 1914 Henry joined the 104th Westminster Fusiliers Battalion and was for a time based in British Columbia. In early 1915 he was transferred to the 29th Battalion with whom he travelled over to France. He was serving on the Western Front near Messines when he was killed in action, on November 3rd 1915, at the age of 37.
