Myles Henry attended Stowe School from 1935 to 1939 and was Head Boy of Chatham House. He was an outgoing and gregarious pupil with a penchant for all sports, being in the 1st XI for Cricket and 1st XV for Rugby, and, in 1939 he played for the English Public Schools’ XV against the Scottish Schools’.
After leaving Stowe, Myles briefly studied at Queen’s College, Cambridge. However, he felt it his duty to join the war effort and enlisted in the army as a Private. He joined the Royal Sussex Regiment and was commissioned within six months. His first overseas posting was to the Middle East.
Following the defeat of Rommel in the Libyan campaign, Myles then went to Palestine where he trained as a parachutist. After a short stint in North Africa, he was dropped into Italy where he took part in several skirmishes before returning to England.
Myles and his Regiment stayed training on home soil for 10 months during which time he married his fiancée.
In September 1944, Myles, by now a Captain, was again called into action and sent to Holland. It was there, in the Battle of Arnhem, that Myles Henry, Intelligence Officer of the 10th Battalion Parachute Regiment tragically lost his life. At the age of 24 he became one of the many heroes that sacrificed their lives for their country and the wellbeing of future generations.
In order to ensure that Myles' valour was recognised and remembered, his Mother set up a trust for Stowe School. The aim was to award future pupils the opportunity to be acknowledged for initiative, idealism and courage – key traits that symbolised Myles. Accordingly, over the past 80 years, the Myles Henry Award has allowed numerous pupils the chance to broaden their horizons and assist with various worthwhile causes across the world.
It is our wish that the Myles Henry Award should continue to encourage Stoics to challenge themselves, assist others in less fortunate circumstances and then share their experiences with their family, peers and tutors at Stowe.