Henry Augustus Simmons was born on 21 February 1911 in Southampton, England the son of Francis and Catherine Fanny Simmons; husband of Dora Rawes Simmons, of Lake Side, Lancashire.

He was educated at Taunton School, Somerset, representing them in the 1928 Public Schools Championship at Stamford Bridge where he won the high jump with a record 5ft 10 1/2in (1.79 m) which was not bettered until after World War Two.

He set a UK junior record of 6ft 1in (1.86m) at the 1928 AAA Championships, finishing joint-third and soon after competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics later in Amsterdam, the youngest member of the GB team aged 17. He qualified for the final but finished joint 11th.

Henry joined the Royal Air Force and represented the RAF many times at the Inter-Services Championship winning the RAF high jump title three times in 1930, 1932 and 1935.

A career Air Force officer, Henry had reached the rank of Wing Commander when he lost his life in a flying accident on 23 March 1944, when the Wellington bomber he was piloting suddenly stalled and nose-dived into the ground two miles from Sywell airfield in Northamptonshire. Henry and his five crew members were instantly killed. Henry was 33 years old and is buried in Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, United Kingdom.