James Percy Henley was born in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire in the summer of 1893, the sixth child of James Henley and Emma Ounsworth. He had eight siblings in all, five older who were; Emily, John, Nellie, Carrie May, Anne and three younger; Dorothy Grace, Clarice Minnie and finally Laura Nora. His sister Nellie died in 1915 only a year before James.

James grew up in Tring where his family lived on Henry Street and his father worked as a ‘Coachman’ for the Rothchild family at Tring Park Mansion, where he also undertook casual gardening work. James’ older brother John worked at Tring Park Mansion as a Gardener as well.

In around 1906 the family moved to Boxmoor near Hemel Hempstead and settled at 35 Pullar Road in the village. Thirteen-year-old James had started work at Dickinson & Co. Limited in Apsley Mills and worked in the Card Department and in the next few years, three of his sisters also joined Dickinsons and worked in the Envelope Department.

On the outbreak of war James requested permission to enlist from his employer and was given leave to do so in December 1914. He enlisted at Hemel Hempstead the following month, January 1915 and joined the Hertfordshire Regiment. He was sent to Hertford to the 3/1st Battalion to undergo his basic training which he completed six months later.

James was sent to France and disembarked there on the 10th July 1915 and joined the 2 Company, 1st Battalion Herts in the billets at Montmorency Barracks, Bethune on the 14th July. Within two weeks he had his first experience in the trenches at Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée and saw his fist action at the Battle of Loos in September 1915. James survived this dreadful engagement where nine other Hemel men lost their lives and following the Battle of Loos; he saw out 1915 with his comrades north-east of Bethune.

By June 1916 the 1st Herts was still at Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée and continuing the cycle of trench relief duties without significant enemy engagement. During one such stint in the trenches James was unfortunately killed when a shell burst amongst a group of men who were eating lunch during a quiet spell. He died along with one other man on Saturday, 17th June 1916.

His death was reported in the Hemel Gazette a few weeks later when it published letters of condolence his family had received from his C.O. and his Sergeant. 

He is commemorated on the John Dickinson & Co. Limited Memorial in Apsley.

James is Remembered with Honour in Gorre British and Indian Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France where he is interred in Grave 1.A.19. The inscription on his headstone requested by his mother Emma reads: “THY WILL BE DONE”

He was 22 years old when he died.

James was eligible for the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.