Name
Henry James (Hal) Capern
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/03/1918
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
King's Royal Rifle Corps
11th Bn., attached 59th Trench Mortar Battery
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panel 61 to 64.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Beechen Grove Baptist Church Memorial, Watford, Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance
Pre War
Son of James Alfred and Helen Sarah (nee LIMBREY) CAPERN of Watford.
His parents married 1893 in the Lambeth, London, district. Helen died 1933 in Watford aged 73, and was buried 28 July in North Watford Cemetery. James remarried 1934 in the Chelsea, London district to Lois Elaine WILKS. He died 7 April 1955 in Esher, Surrey, aged 88; Lois died 5 March 1991 in Hove, Sussex, aged 88.
Henry was born 17 January 1895 in Herne Hill, London, and attended Watford Grammar School from September 1905 to July 1912.
On the 1901 Census, aged 6 he lived in Clapham, London, with his parents and no siblings. On the 1911 Census, at school aged 16, he lived in Watford, with his parents and no siblings.
Wartime Service
He attested 16 November 1914 at Shaftesbury Street, London N, in the Territorial Force for 4 years’ service in the U.K.: an insurance clerk aged 19, 5’9″ tall, C of E; in the 2/4th (City of London) Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) as Private 3442.
He served at Home 16 November to 22 December 1914, when he embarked from Southampton 23 December 1914 to Malta where he served from 2 January to 19 August 1915. He embarked from Malta 20 August 1915 disembarked Alexandria 24 August 1915. Then served in Egypt, during which time he was admitted to the 19th General Hospital Alexandria 27 September 1915 with enteric fever. Sent to England 26 October 1915 aboard Hospital Ship Galeka, and served at Home until 27 February 1917.
He was discharged in consequence of being granted a commission as temporary Second Lieutenant 5th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps 28 February 1917, gazetted 26 March 1917. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 24 August 1915; the medals were sent to his father of Watford; and was killed in action 23 or 24 March 1918.
Additional Information
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance entry reads:
“CAPERN, HENRY JAMES. School period: September, 1905, to July, 1912. Second Lieutenant, 10th King's Royal Rifles. Enlisted in 214th London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) in November, 1914; sent to Malta, December, 1914, and to Egypt in 1915; commissioned in March, 1917; killed in France, 23rd March, 1918.”
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
