Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Nathaniel Booth, a farm labourer, born 1861 in Thurlaston, Leicestershire (son of Henry Clayton Booth and Emily Smith) and his wife Adeliza Booth (nee Smith, married in the 1st quarter of 1883 in the Oakham, Rutland district), born on the 25th March 1864 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire (daughter of Naphtali Smith and Wyramenta Holland). Henry, a schoolboy, was born in the 4th quarter of 1886 in Oakham, Rutland and baptised on the 15th September 1889 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham, his siblings were, Fanny, a schoolgirl, born in the 1st quarter of 1883 and baptised on the 28th October 1883 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham and Naphtali, born in the 2nd quarter of 1889 and baptised on the 15th September 1889 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham, both his siblings were born in Oakham also residing with the family was Henry’s widowed paternal grandmother, Wyramenta Smith, a licensed hawker, born 1816 in Waltham, Leicestershire, in April 1891 the family home was at John’s Court, John Street, Oakham. In March 1901 Henry was absent from the family home at Bett’s Barn, Barleythorpe, Oakham, residing there was his father, a farm labourer, his mother and siblings, Naphtali, Albert, born in the 4th quarter of 1891 and baptised on the 11th September 1892 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham, John, born on the 14th January 1896 and baptised on the 6th February 1896 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham, Nathaniel, born on the 19th February 1898 and baptised on the 10th April 1898 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham and Aaron James, born on the 6th June 1900, all his siblings were born in Oakham, also residing with the family was Henry’s widowed paternal grandmother, Wyramenta Smith, a hawker of general goods, meanwhile Henry was employed as an agricultural labourer and was residing as a servant at 1, Knossington Road, Braunston, Rutland. In April 1911 Henry remained absent from the family home at Dennisons Lodge, Barleythorpe, Oakham, residing there was his father, a shepherd, his mother and siblings, Albert, a cowman, John, a farm labourer, Nathaniel, a schoolboy, Aaron, a schoolboy, Mary Kezia, a schoolgirl, born in the 4th quarter of 1902 and baptised on the 4th February 1903 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham and Beatrice, born in the 4th quarter of 1907, the latter two siblings were both born in Oakham, meanwhile Henry was serving as a Gunner with the 12th Battery Royal Field Artillery and was stationed at Ambala, Punjab, India.
NOTE: There were two families of Booths residing in Oakham at the time of the Great War, and the heads of both families, Albert Booth and Nathaniel Booth were brothers, and the sons of Henry Clayton Booth and his wife Emily (Emma) Smith. The War Memorial in All Saint’s Churchyard bears the names of the five sons of these two families, Nathaniel and John Booth were the sons of Albert and Emily Booth and Nathaniel, Napthali and Henry were the sons of Nathaniel and Adeliza Booth, Napthali enlisted into the Army and served with the alias of Nathaniel.
Henry’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he had enlisted on the 28th September 1908 in Leicester and was serving in India with the Royal Field Artillery, with the service number 52474. Upon the outbreak of war he was posted to France with the 12th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, first entering the theatre of war on the 6th October 1914 where he took part in the Retreat from Mons. During which time he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. The citation in the London Gazette dated 1st April 1915 reads:- “For conspicuous gallantry on the 27th October, 1914, when chiefly by his own efforts, a German attack was repulsed by a single gun. He was killed.” His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. Henry was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the 1914 Star, Clasp and Rose, the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Henry’s two younger brothers also died, Naphtali died of wounds in on the 19th March 1916 in Amara, Mesopotamia and Nathaniel was killed in action on the 8th June 1917 in France.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Image from D Rimmington, 07/08/2023.