Henry was born in Cadwell, Manitoba, Canada. He never settled before the war, working as a meat packer, a truck driver, a dishwasher and a gold miner. In 1940, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and after training was sent to the UK in late spring 1941. He joined RAF Fighter Command and flew Spitfire fighter planes from RAF Turnhouse, today Edinburgh airport. After just a month of combat patrols over Scotland and the North Sea, he transferred to No.72 Squadron on the south coast of England.
On 7 November 1941, he was flying over occupied France searching for enemy aircraft or ground targets to attack. German fighter pilot, Unteroffizier Heinz Richter of Jagdstaffel 26 found him first. Henry crash landed near the French town of Étaples and was taken prisoner.
After interrogation he was sent to Stalag Luft I in northern Germany. Here he planned and made several unsuccessful attempts to escape and so was transferred to the more secure Stalag Luft III. Here he met Roger Bushell and other serial escapers who were planning what would become known as the Great Escape. Having worked as a miner before the war, he worked extensively on digging the tunnels used for the escape, regarded as ‘the toughest tunneller of them all’.
On 24 March 1944, Henry was one of 76 men to escape. He and a group of others attempted to go across country on foot but were very quickly captured by local patrols from the prison. On 31 March he was murdered. He was 25 years old. He is today commemorated in CWGC Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Plot 7. Row C. Grave 3.
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