Henry was born on 17 Nov 1918 in Wood Green, north London to Abraham John and Latvia born mother Polly nee Fishstein. Henry had a twin brother David and three older siblings, Sadie, Avigdor and Sophia. In 1921, their father worked as an engineers fitter for Bethnal Green Borough council and by 1939 he was working as a secretary of a Synagogue. In 1939, Henry and his twin brother David were living with their parents at 101 Alexandra Park Road, north London, Henry was a tailor and David a greengrocers assistant.

Henry enlisted at the beginning of the war into the Royal Artillery and was sent to fight in the Malayan campaign. His Army records state that he was killed in action and is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial. There is also a token for him on his parents grave at Edmonton Federation of Synagogues Cemetery.