Name
John Henry Canham
12th December 1893.
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/06/1915
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3113
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BISHOP'S HATFIELD (ST. LUKE) CHURCHYARD
I. I. 17.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
No Inscription on Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Hatfield Town Memorial, Hatfield In Memoriam Book, St Luke's Church Memorial, Bishops Hatfield, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
John Henry Canham was born in Hatfield, Herts, on 12th December 1893, son of John Henry Canham (B 1865 in Hatfield) and Elizabeth Canham (nee Collarbone), (B 1865 in Hatfield). Also living with them is a step brother Walter Collarbone. The eldest of 5 children.
1901 Census records John aged 7, living with his parents, brothers, Percy, Mark, sister Gladys and stepbrother Walter, in 20 Union Lane, Hatfield. He attended Hatfield C of E School from June 1897 to May 1900, transferring to the Hatfield National School (later St Audrey's) leaving in December 1907, to start work.
By 1911 John had left school and was working as a Domestic Gardener, still living at home with his parents, brother Percy, Mark, Herbert and sister Gladys, at 16 Union Lane, Newtown, Hatfield. His father was working as a bricklayer’s labourer for the Railway Company.
Officially recorded as born in Hatfield and was living there when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
John enlisted in the County Town of Hertford on 14th September 1914, and posted to the Hertfordshire Regiment with the Service No. 3113. He embarked from Southampton for France on 23rd January 1915.
John received a gunshot wound in the back, while in action at Festubert on 18th May 1915, his service record shows he was in Hospital in France on 20th May 1915, and transported back to England from Boulogne, aboard "HMHS Anglian" on 24th May 1915, and then to the Northern General Hospital, Lincoln, where he died of his wounds on 2nd June 1915. He was buried in St Luke's Churchyard, Newtown, Hatfield, on 5th June 1915.
The Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of November 1914 in the Third list of men mobilised from Hatfield, recorded: “John Canham –Union Lane – 1st Herts. Territorials”. Then in July 1915: “Died of wounds – John Canham.............Mr and Mrs Canham, of Ground Lane, are also receiving much sympathy over the loss of their son, Private Canham; his wounds proved even more serious than was feared and he passed away on June 2nd, to the sorrow of his relatives and friends.”
Awarded the Victory medal, British War Medal & 1915 Star.
At the time of his death his parents where living in Ground Lane, Hatfield.
Additional Information
John's grave (not CWGC) bears the inscription:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOHN M CANHAM WHO DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION JUNE 2ND 1915 AGED 21 YEARS.
The value of his effects of £8-3s-0d, Pay Owing and £3, War Gratuity, when to his father John Henry Canham.
"HMHS Anglian" was hit by a German mine and sank East of Folkestone Gate on 17th November 1915.
Hatfield Parish Council Souvenir Committee Ledger: Mrs J Canham (Mother) of Ground Lane, Hatfield received an “In Memoriam and Roll of Honour Album”.
The mine had been laid by the German U-Boat UC-5. He is mentioned in the story of William Sell, which can be found here in the Archive at: Archive www.hertsatwar.co.uk/archive/hertfordshire-men-women-individuals-stories/william-sell-mm-biography-survivor/ - Biography Includes others from the Herts Reg.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild, Stuart Osborne, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)
