Henry George Chamberlain was born at Pirton, Hertfordshire, was resident at Hitchin and enlisted there into the Suffolk Regiment.
He served with the 12th, 11th, 9th and, finally, 2nd Battalions in France and Flanders, part of the 76th Brigade in the 3rd Division.
He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.) published in the London Gazette 26 November 1917, the citation in the London Gazette 6 February 1918:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During operations, an enemy aeroplane flew over our lines and fired a white light, which was answered by a hostile sniper nearby. Entirely on his own initiative he went in search of the sniper, found three in a shell-hole, killed them all, and returned with Very lights and a trench lamp. He afterwards accounted for three more snipers, lying out for hours in No Man’s Land and stalking them when they declared themselves.’ Annotated gazette states ‘Zonnebeke 20 [or 26] September 1917’, while contemporary news reports give a slightly longer citation, adding ‘He also entered a German pill-box and killed twelve more Germans single-handed.’
He died of severe wounds received in action on 20 April 1918, aged 39.
Private Chamberlain is buried in Pernes British Cemetery, France.
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