Henry Leslie Paxton Balderson was born Tuesday, 7th June 1892 in Boxmoor near Hemel Hempstead. He was the youngest child and only son born to Robert Henry Balderson and Edith Paxton and his older sisters were Mildred and Hilda.

The Baldersons were a wealthy family and Henry’s Grandfather, also Henry, had built a successful business trading in coal, coke, stone, corn, and timber as well as wholesale wines and spirits and a tannery at Corner Hall. Henry’s father Robert joined the firm in 1890 and many older Hemel Hempsteadians will recall ‘Balderson’s Wharf’ on the Grand Junction (Union) Canal where barrels of ‘Rose’s Lime Juice’ were stockpiled before being bottled in St Alban’s. The site of the wharf is now occupied by B&Q.

Henry’s early years were spent at the family home known as ‘South Lea’ in the vicinity of Charles Street in Hemel Hempstead before he went away to school. He was educated at New College, Cliftonville, Margate in Kent before moving to Lancing College which he attended from May 1907 to July 1910. Whilst at Lancing he was a member of the Officer Training Corps.

When he left school, he trained as an accountant and worked for Harper Bros., Chartered Accountants of Tower Hill in the City of London. Whilst undertaking his accountancy training, Henry enlisted with the 28th (County of London) Battalion (Artists Rifles) in April 1911, a Territorial Force with the London Regiment. Later in the same year he was awarded the Silver Cup for best recruit. He was promoted Lance Corporal in July 1914.  

On the outbreak of war, Henry was mobilised as part of the Reserve on the 5th August 1914, shortly after which he applied for a commission. He was subsequently commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Devonshire Regiment in September and attached to the 8th (Service) Battalion.

In the summer of 1915 he went to France, and disembarked at Le Havre on the 25th July. Only two months later he fought in the Battle of Loos on the 25th September where the 8th Battalion Devonshire Regiment found itself in trenches in front of the German position of Breslau Trench. At 06:30am the Battalion advanced towards the German lines across ‘No-Mans’ land and immediately came under heavy rifle and machine gun fire from the enemy. Although the Battalion crossed and captured Breslau Trench in only 12 minutes, most of the officers and men were cut down by the German fusillade. Henry was severely wounded by a gunshot in the abdomen and was evacuated by 2 Field Ambulance and taken down the line to No. 4 General Hospital at Versailles the following day.  

His mother Edith received the following telegram dated the 25th September 1915: "2/Lieut. H.L.P. Balderson 8th Devons reported by No. 4 General Hospital, Versailles seriously ill gunshot wound abdomen. Any further news telegraphed as received. It is reported, permission to visit cannot be granted." The Hemel Gazette also reported Henry’s wounding a couple of weeks later.

Just over a month later Henry, still seriously ill, was evacuated to England aboard "SS St Patrick" and admitted to the Hon. Mrs Burn's Hospital at Stoodley Knowle, Torquay on the 30th October. Two weeks later he was granted six weeks leave and left hospital returning to his family home in Hemel Hempstead to recuperate.

In February 1916 Henry was passed as "fit for light duties" and joined the 11th (2nd Reserve) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment at Wareham near Poole in Dorset. He was here for four months until recovered and then went back to France attached to the 1/6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, joining the battalion in the field on the 27th June where he was assigned to ‘C’ Company.  

On the 22nd July 1916 the 1/6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment moved for an attack on Pozieres the following morning. When the attack began, the Battalion immediately came under accurate and sustained machine gun fire which swept through the leading waves cutting them down in large numbers. Henry led the following two waves, but they were unable to reach or capture the enemy line. The attack failed, and C and D Companies lost all their officers in the assault.

Henry was killed on Sunday, 23rd July 1916 and his body was found, recovered and buried a month later on the 20th August. He had been back in France for just over a fortnight when he died.

His mother received the following telegram dated the 23rd August 1916 "Deeply regret to inform you that 2Lt H.P. Balderson 8 Devon Regt previously reported missing 23 July now reported killed in action on that date. The Army Council express their sympathy." From his Regiment the following communications were sent to his family;

Lieutenant Scull wrote: “From all accounts he led his men nobly. It will be a great comfort to hear that he was greatly respected by his men and brother officers.” Lieutenant Anderson wrote: "I do know this that he died with the other officers in his Company like the man he had already shown himself to be to all of us." Company Quartermaster Sergeant Johnson wrote: “Your son was admired and loved by all his platoon; very few of them are now left, but they all join in expressing their deep sympathy. We have lost a gallant officer, but our loss is small in comparison to yours who have given up an only son to our dear Motherland.”

Finally Henry’s Platoon Sergeant wrote: “Have you any objection to me keeping the photo (sent for recognition) I shall treasure it, and the memories of your son’s gallantry, coolness under fire and personal concern for his men will live long in my memory.”

He is commemorated by a stained-glass window in St John's Church at Boxmoor.

Henry is Remembered with Honour in Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boisselle, Somme, France where he is interred in Grave IV.G.43. The inscription on his headstone, requested by his mother Edith, reads: “HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY HIS SOUL TO GOD”

He was 24 years old when he died

Henry was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.