Harry Booth was born in 1898 at Brocklesby in Lincolnshire, one of five children born to Thomas and Alice Emma Booth. The 1911 Census records Harry as a 12-year-old schoolboy living with his parents and two sisters at Wharfedale Villa, Kearby-with-Netherby.
Harry enlisted into the army on 2nd March 1916, but was not called-up until 8th February 1917 when he was posted to the 91st Training Reserve Battalion at Blyth. He was posted to the British Expeditionary Force on 12th October 1917, joining the 1/5th West Riding Regiment in the Ypres Salient.
On 19th November 1917 1/5th West Riding relieved 1/5th West Yorkshire as the battalion in support to the front line battalion on the Broodseinde Ridge just north of Becelaere. A Company was established at Tokio Ridge from 28.D.28.c.50.70 to 28.D.28.c.90.70, B and C companies were on the Westhoek Ridge from 28.J.1.a. Central to 28.J.7.b. and D Company was on Anzac Ridge about 28.J.3.a.90.40. The battalion took only 16 officers and 350 other ranks into the line. The remainder of the fighting strength of the battalion (approx. 6 officers and 200 other ranks) were left behind in a camp at Dickesbusche. The relief was commenced at 11am, and completed by 4pm.
On the 20th A Company's position on Tokio Ridge was heavily shelled most of the day. Intermittent shelling of all the ridges during the day was very heavy at times. The battalion was used for many working parties during the day and night: A Company carried out wiring in front of the support line, while D Company were used to carry rations up to the front line.
Harry Booth was among the fatalities suffered by the battalion on 20th November. His body was exhumed after the war from map reference 28.D.b.2.3, in front of Tokio Ridge, suggesting that he was killed by shellfire while part of an A Company wiring party. His body was reinterred in Perth Cemetery (China Wall) on 16th August 1919.
[Note: trench map coordinates can be located on a modern map using the excellent tmapper resource.]