Henry SURGUY
Civil
Died: 5th June 1916 - Age: 35

Commemorated:

1. Book:The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918Pg.136
2. Memorial:The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour17B GQS
    

Awards & Titles:

 

Early Life :

Born in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland 2nd December 1880 to George Gabriel and Jane Anne Holland Surguy. His father died between 1887 and 1891 and the family, now led by widower Jane, moved to Lincoln Terrace, Alversthorpe in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Henry had one elder sister, Louise and four younger siblings: Georgina (b.1883), Thomas (b.1885), Ethel (b.1886), and Frederick (b.1887).

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: General Staff 

Action : HMS Hampshire, Sinking of 

On Monday 5th June 1916, about 1 to 2 miles off Marwick Head in Orkney, by 7.50 pm, H.M.S. Hampshire struck a German mine and sank. According to an official MOD site the ships full compliment at the time of sailing was 655 men plus 7 passengers who were Lord Kitchener and his staff. The real number is described by Kitchener Hampshire website at 737. The bodies of over 100 officers and men were recovered from the sea and were interred into one common grave where they now lay to rest at the Lyness Cemetery, Hoy, Orkney. That is with the exception of Lieutenant MacPherson and Colonel Fitzgerald. Lieutenant MacPherson was was onboard the Hampshire in his capacity as a Russian translator and was buried in a separate gave in Lyness Cemetery. The body of Colonel Fitzgerald was taken to Inverness and then transferred to London for burial at the Eastbourne (Ocklynge) Cemetery in Sussex. The body of Lord Kitchener was never recovered from the sea and only 12 men survived the sinking of the HMS Hampshire.

See also: HMS Hampshire.

See also: Kitchener Hampshire.

Detail :

Henry's death was reported widely across the newspapers of the country including the Yorkshire Evening Post of the 7th June, 1916. "LORD KITCHENER'S YORKSHIRE VALET. Henry Surguy, valet to Lord Kitchener, was drowned on the cruiser Hampshire. He was the son of the late Sergeant-Major Surguy, formerly instructor to the Wakefield Yeomanry. He was 35 years of age, and was born in Ireland. On going to Wakefield he entered the service of Mr. G. Cradock as stable-boy, and later became groom to Miss Edith Mackie, St. John's. Later, he entered the service of Lord Allerton as valet, ans subsequently acted in a similar capacity to Lords Powis, Alington and Strathoona, and the Duke of Portland. He had been in the service of Lord Kitchener for seven years as valet and personal attendant, and with him visited all parts of the world. Surguy's mother, who resides in Lawefield Lane, Wakefield, saw her son as lately as Saturday, whilst on a visit to him in London."

The Beverley and East Riding Recorder further mentions that "Surguy was formerly footman at Bishop Burton Hall, and is the third footman from the hall who has lost his life in the war."

Other newspapers, including the Illustrated London News, the Birmingham Daily Gazette, the Heywood Advertiser and Nottingham Evening Post all show list of the entourage of staff who perished along with Lord Kitchener. It also shows how the unknown christian name of a man called Shields leads to the thought that Henry was a double-barreled name SURGUY-SHIELDS.

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : Bulwer Lodge of Cairo No. 1068 E.C.Buckinghamshire

Initiated
Passed
Raised
1st February 1913
3rd May 1913
7th June 1916
 

In the contribution records of the lodge at the United Grand Lodge of England he is shown recorded and as a Butler. The final notes show "Died active service 5.6.16."

Henry Surguy (or sometimes incorrectly listed as Henry Surguy-Shields) was initiated into Bulwer Lodge of Cairo on 1st February 1913.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

Additional Source:

Last Updated: 2020-11-25 12:05:03