Harry had been born in the Edgeley area of Stockport and his parents, Tom & Martha lived there at 28 Stopford Street. He had enlisted in the 1/6^th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment not long after war was declared, going on active service in November 1914. He transferred to the 1^st Battalion early in 1917.

Details of his last tour of duty in the trenches are here. The local newspaper, reporting his death, noted that he had a married sister, Edith and a brother, Tom, who was also in the army and was at Rhyl at the time.