Name
Henry Maunsell Chambers
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/03/1917
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
SPTS/631
Royal Fusiliers *1
23rd (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 8 C 9 A and 16 A.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted - Berkhamsted Collegiate School, Kings Langley Village War Memorial, Chambers Memorial Window, All Saints Church, Kings Langley, All Saints Church memorial, Kings Langley, Langleybury Village Memorial, Hunton Bridge, Not on the Berkhamsted War Memorial
Pre War
Henry Maunsell Chambers was born in 1888 in Sandown, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, the son of Col. Charles Patton Chambers (1836–1927) a retired Infantry Colonel and Henrietta Caroline Chambers (1834–1916) (nee Maunsell-Eyre). He was one of four children, Caroline (b.1872), Mary (b.1878) and Charles (b.1889).
The 1891 Census records Henry aged 3, living with his parents and three siblings in Leeds Street, Sandown, Isle of Wight, Hampshire. The family had three live-in domestic servants, a nurse, cook, and housekeeper.
Henry attended Berkhamsted Collegiate School, Berkhamsted, leaving in 1903 and on the 1911 Census Henry, aged 23, was working on his own account as a poultry farmer, and was living with his parents and two sisters at Zoffany House, Kings Langley, Herts where the family had two live-in domestic servants.
Henry was the Scout Master for Kings Langley, Langleybury and Apsley Troops.
Wartime Service
Henry enlisted in October 1914 in London and joined the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) with the Regimental number SPTS/631. (1st Sportsman’s Battalion). The Battalion was largely made up of men who had made their name in sport.
He landed with his Battalion at Boulogne, France on 16 November 1915. The Battalion joined the 99th Brigade, 33rd Division later that month, seeing action at Vimy Ridge, The Somme, and the Battle for Delville Wood. He was killed in action on 10 March 1917, during the capture of “Irles”.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France, Pier & Face 8C. 9A. & 16A.
Additional Information
Brother to Charles Colhoun Chambers (MC), Captain with the Royal Garrison Artillery who died in 1916 and is buried in Quarry Cemetery, Somme, France. On his brother Charles' headstone, Henry's father ordered an inscription. The inscription reads. “ALSO IN MEMORY OF HIS BROTHER H.M. CHAMBERS 23RD R.F. KILLED AT IRLES MARCH 10TH 1917”
His sister Caroline received a war gratuity of £11 and pay owing of £15 15s 10d. She also obtained probate of his estate on 11 July 1917 in London with effects of £714 3s 7d.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London) Bn. London Regiment.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
