Henry was born in 1910 in Newport, Wales to Samuel and Harriett née Samuel and had three sisters, Eileen, Nora, Patricia and a brother Albert. In 1911 the family was living at 24 Bryngwyn Rd, Newport where Samuel was listed as a clothier and pawnbroker. There are records of the Jacobs family living in Newport from the late 1860’s where they ran a pawnbrokers shop. Henry was a qualified solicitor and enlisted into the RAF at Penarth in 1940.

Henry was a wireless operator/air gunner on Hampden P1234 which departed RAF Finningley on a daylight cross country training exercise. In poor visibility, the aircraft flew into barrage balloon cable, crashed and burst into flames. All crew on board were killed.

Pilot, James Welberne Atkin, RCAF J/6028
W/Op, Harry Hughes, 1053683
Pilot, Lawrence Mathew George McDonald, 401398