No.32972, Private, Harry Christopher CAMPS
Aged 23
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Harry Christopher Camps was born in Waterbeach (Chesterton Q3-1893 3B:429), son of Thomas Henry and Laura CAMPS (née MASON), of Station Cottages, Swaffham Prior.
1901 census...Aged 8, he was at Fen End, Waterbeach with his father Thomas Henry CAMPS [39] railway labourer; his mother Laura [29] born Reach and his sisters Dorothy [5] and Ethel May [1] both born in Waterbeach. 1911 census...Aged 17, a farm labourer, he was at Station Cottages, Swaffham Prior with his parents (father now a platelayer), sisters Dorothy and Ethel and new siblings, Ruby [9] born Waterbeach, Jack [7] born Swaffham Prior and Florrie [5] and Hilda Rose [1], both born in Swaffham Prior. 3 of his mother's 10 children had died. , From his entry in "Soldiers Died" he must have gone on to live and work in Stratford, Essex. |
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He enlisted in Stratford, Essex.
From the excellent website on the Bedfordshire Regiment by Steven Fuller http://www.bedfordregiment.org.uk/1stbn/1stbtn1917appendices.html#lacoulotte ... you can read the appendix to the war diary of the 1st battalion that day, here is just a brief report:- Report on action at La Coulotte.. Lt. Colonel P.B. Worrall M.C. [Percy Reginald WORRALL, DSO, MC] Commanding 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Sir, I have the honour to report that I received orders to attack LA COULOTTE from T.1.d.1/9 to T.1.a.3/9. and attach a copy of my Operation Orders which I personally explained in detail to all Officers and NCO's. Briefly, I had to make: (a) a frontal attack to the N. (b) a flank attack East on WATER TOWER TRENCH. AND (c) attack on triangle south of WATER TRENCH from the south, including a large part of CYRIL TRENCH held by the Germans. The whole undertaking seemed to be most hazardous. I considered the WATER TOWER TRENCH to be key to the situation and so attacked it frontally and in enfilade. Had I not got this footing, my Battalion must have been wiped out by WATER TOWER TRENCH if we were held up by wire. The 1st Bedfords suffered 92 killed, only 5 have identified graves, the rest are named on the Arras Memorial.
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
