A COMMEMORATION service was held in the Dengie on the hundredth anniversary of a young serviceman’s death.

On Sunday, a service took place at St Nicholas Church in Tillingham to celebrate the life of Henry Sandford, an 18-year-old farmer who had died on the same date 100 years prior.

Henry grew up on Jerry’s Farm, south east of the church before it was levelled in the following years.

He was one of ten siblings, with his father working as a horseman on the farm.

When he turned 18 in 1917, Henry enlisted to fight in the First World War, and was assigned to the 24th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment.

He was taking part in infantry training throughout the summer months, but sadly died of pneumonia on July 15 that year.

He was buried at St Nicholas in the same grave as his mother, who died only two days after him of a broken heart.

The commemoration event was organised by Sue Hanson, St Nicholas Church’s warden, who researched Henry’s background and tracked down a member of his family, Jill Boyle, whose great aunt married Henry’s brother.

Colm Boyle, Jill’s husband, said: “It was a lovely little ceremony that commemorated a nice bit of heritage for Tillingham. Sue worked hard to get it all together in time for the 100th anniversary of Henry’s death, and it was great to pay respects.”