CHAMBERS+J.F.

Chambers, John Frederick, Sergeant, 1850, 1st/5th Bn, Notts & Derby Regiment Born Derby Enlisted Derby Died of wounds France & Flanders 9th July 1915

CWGC: Aged 20 Son of George and Ann Chambers, of Castle Donington, Derby. Called up on 4th August, 1914. A clerk at County Council Offices, St. Mary’s Gate, Derby Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, III, C, 8A

Details from the Derby Daily Express, 12th July 1915, and his Service Record held at the National Archives, Kew

John Chambers lived with his parents at 112, Mansfield Road, Derby, and had been educated at the Abbey Street School, Derby, before being employed as a clerk in the County Education Offices, St. Mary’s Gate, Derby. He had been in the 5th Battalion of the Notts & Derby Regiment for about two years, having enlisted on the 4th April 1913, and was ‘an exceedingly smart soldier, and took prizes for shooting.’ In France, he was promoted to Staff-Sergeant and was a clerk with the Headquarters Staff of the 46th North Midland Division. John Chambers died at his desk, as the result of a tragic accident. Some officers of the Headquarters Staff had brought in a new type of German rifle grenade which was to be examined, but it accidentally went off several days later. John Chambers received severe shrapnel wounds which resulted in a compound fracture to his right leg, wounds to which he eventually succumbed. He was apparently due to come home on leave, ‘his brother went to the station to meet him by the train he had named in his last letter. Of course, he did not arrive, and the next the family heard was the letters of his officers …. announcing his death.’