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
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing in France. He has an inscription on his brother Charles's Headstone.
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,
Not on the Berkhamsted War Memorial
Pre War
Henry Maunsell Chambers was born in 1888, in Sandown, Isle of Weight, Hampshire, son of Col. Charles Patton Chambers (1836 – 1927) a retired Infantry Colonel and Henrietta Caroline Chambers (1834 – 1916) (nee Maunsell-Eyre). One of four children, Caroline (B 1872), Mary (B 1878) and Charles (B 1890).
1891 Census records Henry aged 3, living with his parents and three siblings in Leeds Street, Sandown, Isle of Weight, Hampshire. The family had three live-in Domestic Servants, a Nurse, Cook and a Housekeeper.
By 1901 Henry and the family had moved and were now living at “Manor Villa” Manor Street, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. The family had two live-in Domestic Servants.
Henry attended Berkhamsted Collegiate School, Berkhamsted, leaving in 1903.
1911 Census records Henry, aged 23, working on his own account as a Poultry Farmer, living with his parents, and two sisters at “Zoffany House” Kings Langley, Herts. The family had two live-in Domestic Servants.
Henry was the Scot Master for Kings Langley, Langleybury and Apsley Troops.
Wartime Service
Henry enlisted in October 1914, at London, with 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 in 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 10th March 1917, during the capture of “Irles”.
He has no known grave and is Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France, to the missing. Pier & Face 8C. 9A. & 16A. He has an inscription on his brother, Captain Charles Colhoun Chambers, of the Royal Garrison Artillery, Headstone.
Additional Information
The inscription reads. “ALSO IN MEMORY OF HIS BROTHER H.M. CHAMBERS 23RD R.F. KILLED AT IRLES MARCH 10TH 1917”
The value of his effects were £15-15s-10d, Pay Owing and £11, War Gratuity which went to his sister Caroline Ina Chambers.
His brother Captain Charles Colhoun Chambers (MC ) of the Royal Garrison Artillery was Killed in Action on 10th July 1916.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London) Bn. London Regiment.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
