On the 4th October 1916 Henry Renshaw was posted
to the 29th Anti-Aircraft Company of the Royal Garrison Artillery.
While the normal role of the air forces during the Great War was mainly reconnaissance for the purposes of assisting the artillery, tactical and strategic bombing, together with ground support and strafing, grew in importance. Shooting down enemy aircraft, or at least frightening them off, naturally followed as an important aspect of defence.
Henry Renshaw was my 1st Cousin twice removed and
was born in Colwich, Staffordshire in 1883, the son of Henry and Elizabeth
Renshaw (nee Mills). He had three brothers, Charles (born 1877), Walter (born
1880) and Arthur (born 1888) and two sisters, Lizzie (born 1879) and Mary (born
1884).
In 1911 he was living with his parents who were farmers, his
two siblings Mary and Arthur were also working on the farm. Henry was working
as an Estates Clerk.
Henry married Ethel James in October 1915 at Christ Church,
Stone and joined the Royal Garrison Artillery on the 11th December
1915. They lived at 10, Taylors Lane, Rugeley, With Henry still working as an
Estates Clerk at the Anglesey Estate Office in Rugeley. He was aged 31 years
and 1 month when he joined the army and was 5 foot 7 inches tall.