Charles Edward Capern
This name is on St Mark's War Memorial, Kennington Oval, London SE11
(Charles Edward Capern)
Service no 1037
Bombardier, Royal Field Artillery, 236th Bde.
Died of wounds age 21 on 23 August 1916
Son of William Hermon Capern and Minnie Constance Capern, of 216 Portland Road, South Norwood, London.
Remembered at Millencourt Communal Cemetery Extension, France
British Army Service Records 1914-1918
Charles Capern joined the Territorials (the 6th London Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery) on 26 March 1913 at Holland Street (later known as Caldwell Street, Stockwell) when he was 18. He was working as a "stamper" for Inspector of Stampers at Somerset House. The office of stamping, now disappeared, is beautifully described in an account published in the New York Times in 1885. Everything official that involved moneys paid required an "impressed or adhesive stamp" - from patent applications, to probate documents to applications for the Civil Service examination - and there was a whole army of men and boys devoted to executing them.
"The rooms principally used for stamping purposes are situated in the upper basement of this large building [Somerset House], and here each day from 9 AM to 4 PM is to be heard the constant din of machinery, with the thud of the die as it strikes the parchment or paper that is being impressed with a stamp. A considerable number of men and boys are employed upon this work, supervised by a body of superintendents and superior officers well acquainted with the technicalities and machinery connected with the stamping processes. In one room may be seen boys rapidly impressing stamp of the value of one penny each upon scores of books of forms of banker's checks..."
The Army record also show that Capern was 5 feet 9 inches, had a 39 inch chest, which he could expand by 3 inches. His physical development was deemed "good".
After serving 3 years and 153 days Capern, by then promoted to Bombardier, was killed in action in the field. His widow, Mary Ann Capern, received his effects in two consignments: rings (1 broken), brooch, letters, handkerchief, pumice, coin, photos, religious books, pouch, pipe. Later she was awarded 15 shillings and sixpence for herself and her child.
Information from the 1911 census
Charles Capern is found in the census living at 2 Claylands Road with his parents and two brothers:
William Hermon Capern, 44, hairdresser, born in Shoreditch
Minnie Constance Capern, 43, born in South Lambeth
William John Capern, 18, paper keeper, Post Office savings bank
Frederick Hermon Capern, 12