Stockwell War Memorial

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KIA

Albert Edward Chandler

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A. E. Chandler
Service no. 3527
Private, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), 1st Battalion
Killed in action age 19 on 1 July 1916
Enlisted at Handel Street, lived in South Lambeth
Son of James and Ada Chandler, of 3 Oval Place, Clapham, London.
Remembered at Hubuterne Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 the Chandler family lived in 2 rooms at 3 Oval Place, off Dorset Road. James Walter Chandler, 41, was a timber carman, born in Clapham. Ada Emily Chandler, 39, was born in St George’s in the East. There were 2 children on the census, both born in South Lambeth:
Ellen Ann Chandler, 15, a checker at a laundry
Albert Edward Chandler, 13

Arthur Ernest Newton Chance

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A. E. N. Chance
Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Howe Bn. R.N. Div.
Killed in action 13 November 1916, aged 24
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 the Chance family was living in 7 rooms at 24 Winslade Road, London SW2. Lambeth-born Henry Chance, 56, was a journalist; Margaret Anne Chance, 54, was born in London. The household, all of whom were born in Lambeth, included their daughter, Margaret Isabel Layder, 28 and granddaughter Margery Florence Layder, 6; son Harry William Chance, 25, a black-and-white artist” (he was probably an illustrator working only in monochrome, probably using graphite); and Arthur Ernest Newton Chance, 19, an insurance clerk. Henry and Margaret Chance had 5 children, 4 of whom survived until 1911.

Arthur Ernest Newton Chance, one of four children of journalist Henry Chance, and Margaret Anne Chance, enlisted in the Navy on 10 August 1911, aged nearly 20. He was previously an insurance clerk. He was commissioned  as a Temporary Sub Lieutenant in November 1915 and joined the British Expeditionary Force in July the following year. He died at the Somme on 13 November 1916.

Chance’s record lists the vessels he served on before the war and after it started – all very straightforward – and describes him as 5 feet 5¼ inches, with red hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. It also gives an outline of his court martial. He was tried on 13 September 1916 for “(1) uttering a forged document (i.e. forged cheque for £3/10/-) on or about 15 July 1916; (2) for ditto on or about 21 July 1916; (3) for behaving in an scandalous manner unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman in giving a cheque signed by him in a fictitious name having no account in that name.” He was found guilty on all three charges and sentenced to be cashiered and imprisoned (without hard labour) for six months. Unfortunately, the record does not show where these events or how Chance’s life ended at the Somme.

The 1911 census shows the Chance family living in seven rooms at 24 Winslade Road, Brixton. The household included Chance’s sister, Margaret Isabel Layder, 28, and her daughter Margery Florence Layder, 6. Arthur’s brother, Harry William Chance, 25, was a “black and white artist” (he produced monochrome illustrations, probably for magazines or newspapers).

Royal Naval Division data

Born 26 November 1891
Missing, assumed killed in action
Enlisted 10 August 1911
Hawke Battalion D/652 22 August 1914 – 26 October 1914 to Chatham Depot & Sea-Service (HMS “Digby”)
Commissioned Temporary Sub Lieutenant RNVR 12 November 15
Howe Battalion draft for BEF 7 July 1916-13 November 1916
Discharged Dead
Father, H. Chance, 24 Winslade Rd., Brixton Hill, London SW, later of: 317 Clapham Rd., London SW
1914 Star issued to mother 20 August 1925

George Herbert Canham

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G. H. Canham
Service no. 3861
Rifleman, London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles), “D” Coy. 1st/16th Battalion
Born in Chelsfield, Kent; enlisted in Westminster; lived in Stockwell
Killed in action on 10 September 1916, aged 21
CWGC: “Eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Canham, of 35, Mordaunt St., Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

CANHAM, G. H., Rifleman, 16th London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles).
He volunteered in March 1915 and was drafted to the Western Front the following year. He took part in several important engagements and was killed in action on the Somme on September 10th 1916. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
35, Mordaunt Street, Stockwell, S.W.9.

George’s brother William James Canham, who survived the war, also appear in the National Roll, as does A. H. Canham of the same address.

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920

George Herbert Canham enlisted at 58 Buckingham Gate on 1 March 1915. He was 20 years and 5 months old, stood 5 feet 9 inches and had a 36½ chest (which he could expand by 3½ inches). His physical development was judged to be “good”.

Canham’s file does not include much more than the basic details of his movements. He was Home from the day of his enlistment to the Territorial Force until 21 April 1916, when he embarked for Rouen. He was deployed in the field from 4 May 1916, and survived there until 10 September, when he was killed in action at the Battle of the Somme.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 the Canham family inhabited 5 rooms at 4 Tivoli Road, West Norwood. William Canham, 41, was a brewer’s drayman, born in Wenhaston, Suffolk. Clara Amy Canham 43, was born in Farnborough, Kent. They had had 6 children, 5 surviving at the time of the census
George Herbert Canham, 16, a shop porter, born in Chelsfield, Kent
William James Canham (cited in the National Roll), 14, an office lad, born in Farnborough, an office lad
Arthur Kitchener Canham, 10, born in Chelsea
Florence Maud Canham 7, born in Chelsea
Maurice Gordon Canham 3, born in Brixton

Archibald Samuel Campbell

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A. S. Campbell
Service no. 203096
Private, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 2nd/4th Battalion
Killed in action on 26 April 1918
Remembered at Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel

British Army Pension Records 1914-1920

Very soon after war broke out jeweller’s assistant Archibald Samuel Campbell took himself to the recruiting office at Battersea and offered himself to the Wiltshire Regiment. They gave him a number, 13710, and measured him up: 5 feet 2 inches, 110 pounds and 34 inch chest. Puny by our standards, but not exceptional then. Campbell was described as having a sallow complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. His overall physical development was judged to be “good”.

However, only 41 days later he was discharged under Para 392 (ii) King’s Regulations ‘ “not being likely to become an efficient soldier”. There are no more details.

Campbell must have re-enlisted or have been called up again, this time joining the Queen’s Regiment, surviving to 26 April 1918 when he was killed in action and buried in the war cemetery in Jerusalem (now in Israel).

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Archibald Samuel Campbell was a student living at 193 Wandsworth Road with his parents and brother. The family had 2 rooms. Thomas S. Campbell, 48, was a messenger for the Admiralty. He was born in Chelsea, London. Humilia Campbell, 37, was born in Lichfield, Staffordshire. Archibald, then 15, was born in Langton Herring, Dorset. His younger brother, Edgar L. Campbell, 6, was born in Battersea.  Humilia and Thomas had 3 children, with only Archibald and Edgar surviving to 1911.

Norman Cairns

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N. Cairns
Service no. 76551
Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery, 279th Siege Bty.
Killed in action in the field age 22 on 26 June 1917
Husband of Florence Cairns (nee Penton), of 47 Courland Grove, Larkhall Lane, Clapham, London.
Remembered at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Belgium

British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1919

When he enlisted on 26 April 1916, Norman Cairns was a butcher, living at 38 Bromfelde Road.

He was 5 feet 10 and a half inches tall.

He married Florence Penton on 26 December 1914 at the Wesleyan Chapel on Clapham Road.
Service record

25 December 1916 Posted to British Expeditionary Force

14 April 1917 Hospitalised with gunshot wound to the shoulder
25 April 1917 Invalided to England

He was returned to the field (date illegible).

On 19 December 1917 the Officer in Charge of Records wrote to Norman Cairns’ widow enclosing her husband’s personal belongings: a coin disc, a pocket book, a religious book, penknife, cigarette holder and cigarette case. The British War and Victory medals were sent on 8 September 1921.

In his service declaration Norman claimed he had no siblings. However, the 1901 census shows that he had both a brother and a sister. (The 1911 census shows that Norman’s mother Mary had 8 children, 6 of whom survived in 1911.) In 1901 Norman was 7 and living at 34 Thorparch Road. His father, John D. Cairns, 54, was an engine fitter born in Newcastle. His wife, Mary, 51, was born in Stratford, Essex. Norman’s brother Frank J. Cairns, 18, was a grocer’s assistant born in Fulham; his sister, Florence Blebta, 31, was born in India. Her two children, Franz Blebta, 7, born in Clapham and Wenzl Blebta, 5, born in South Lambeth, lived with her.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission database shows that a W. Blebta (William Blebta according to the Soldiers Died in the Great War database) died on 21 March 1916. His details are as follows:
Service no. 2137
Private, London Regiment, 1st/23rd Battalion
Son of Henry and Florence Blebta, of 63 Lynette Avenue, Clapham, London.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Norman Cairns, 17 and working as a butcher’s apprentice was living at 9 Gaskill Street, Larkhall Lane, London SW4, where the family occupied 3 rooms. His father, John Dickinson Cairns, 64, was an engine fitter and night watchman for the London and South West Railways. He was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. Mary Cairns, 61, was born in Stratford, east London. Franz Blebta, 17,a butcher’s apprentice, and Wenzl Blebta,  15, unemployed, grandsons of John and Mary, also lived in the household.

Florence Blebta, 36, mother to Franz and Wenzl, was working for the Shillington family as a live-in housemaid at 31 Spencer Park, Wandsworth. She married Henri Wenzl Blebta in 1895 in Lambeth. He does not appear on the 1911 census, although he is named in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database.