Trafford

Born on the 3rd August 1899, the birth being registered during the
September quarter 1899 in the Chorlton R.D. - ref: 8c/806, the only son of
Henry & Elizabeth Sarah Henshall (nee Woodall).   Baptised at St. Thomas'
P.C., Ardwick, Manchester on the 23rd August 1899.   His parents then
resided at 2 Bankfield Avenue, Dickinson Road, Ardwick.

1901 Census - 8 St. Agnes Road, Chorlton, Manchester.    Son - aged: 1 -
born: Manchester.   Head of household - Henry Henshall - Married - aged: 35
- occ: Shipping Merchant's Clerk - born: Manchester.   Also Elizabeth S.
Henshall - Wife - aged: 29 - born: Manchester.    Plus 3 elder sisters.

1911 Census - 2 Beech Range, Albert Road, Levenshulme, Manchester.   Son -
aged: 11 - Scholar - born: Manchester.   Head of household - Henry Henshall
- Married - aged: 45 - occ: Mercantile Clerk - born: Manchester.   Also
Elizabeth Sarah Henshall - Wife - aged: 39 - born: Manchester.    Plus 4
sisters.

Killed in Action serving on HMS "Prize", a 'Decoy' or 'Q' Ship, sunk in
action with Submarine in Atlantic Ocean.

During 1917 the decoy trawler system had been extended to some of the
‘Q’ ship operations and, on 13th August, Lt-Cdr Richardson in D. 6 was
cruising in company with the top-sail schooner Prize, a decoy-ship well
armed with concealed guns, 150 miles north-west of Rathlin Island.  U-48,
unaware that the innocent looking sailing-boat was a Royal Navy warship,
closed in on the surface while Richardson, about three-quarters of a mile
astern, dived for a counter-attack. Suddenly Prize hauled down her decoy
Swedish flag, hoisted the White Ensign, and opened fire on the U-boat.
Heavy seas prevented D.6 from getting close enough to launch her torpedoes
and, having been struck by two shells, U-48 quickly submerged to seek
safety in the depths.

But this was not the end of the story. Now aware of the true identity of
the little schooner the U-boat captain followed her to the north-west and,
at 1.30 am on the 14th, a well-placed torpedo blew her to pieces.  D.6 was
following two miles astern and the men on her bridge saw the explosion but,
although they hurried to the scene, not a single member of the ‘Q’
ship’s crew survived.

After their initial successes the ‘Q’ ships were a complete failure
and, although they continued operating until the end of the war, no U-boats
were destroyed either by decoy-ships working independently or in
conjunction with submarines after August, 1917.

TNA ref: ADM 188/743 - 97/97.