Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the eldest son of William Osman Chamberlain a leather warehouseman, born 1870 in Leicester and his wife Amy Chamberlain (nee Elverson, married in the 3rd quarter of 1891 in the Leicester district), born 1871 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, who was the daughter of William Elverson. Henry Osman Chamberlain was born on the 8th November 1892 in Leicester, his siblings were, Edgar Leslie, born 1896, Walter Samuel, born 1898 and Elizabeth Nora, born 1900, all his siblings were born in Leicester, in March 1901 the family home was at 21, Albion Street, Leicester. In April 1911 Henry was employed as a stoker in a leather works and was residing in the family home at 54, Vaughan Street, Leicester, together with his widowed mother and siblings, Edgar, Walter, Elizabeth and Clara Stella, born 1901 in Leicester.
Henry was educated at King Richard Road School in Leicester, and was working in a leather factory at the time war was declared. After enlistment he served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from September 1914, until he was wounded in action on the 24th November when going to the aid of a wounded officer, an action for which he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. He died in the Brighton County Hospital from his wounds on the 8th December 1914. The citation in the London Gazette dated 1st April 1915 reads:- “For gallantry displayed in the operations on the 23rd and 24th November 1914.”
The War Diary records: 23 Nov-14 – Orders to move at once to BAREILLY Headquarters at GORRE received at 3:30pm. Orders to hold in readiness to move received at 3:32pm. Duplicate of this received at 3:40pm. Reached GORRE at 5:30pm and ordered to proceed and report to General EGERTON Commanding FEROZEPORE Brigade, centre section (near FESTUBERT). Eventually Major GORDON Commanding “B” and “C” Companies remained.
The War Diary records: 24 Nov-14 – Report by Major H. GORDON on operations by “B” and “C” Companies night of 23/24 November:- About 4:00am I took “B” and “C” Companies up the communicating trench to a point about 70x from the part of the fire trench occupied by the Germans, this fire trench was in prolongation of the trench held by 107th PIONEERS. This Regiment had been sent up to attack and recapture the part of the trench held by the enemy. This was the right of the German trench. Unknown to us the 1/39 Garwhals had been sent to attack the left and subsequently it appeared they entered the left part of the trench at about 3:00am. Brigadier General EGERTON ordered 1 Company 2nd LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT to attack the trench in flank and 1 Company 107th PIONEERS to extend to our left while 1 Company of each Regiment was to be in reserve. I ordered “B” Company to lead and put “C” Company in support. “B” Company got out in good order and gained their position by moving along a natural ditch parallel to and about 15x in rear of the fire trench. The Company of PIONEERS who were to form on our left also got into position. When the advance began the PIONEERS for the most part, instead of prolonging to our left closed on to “B” Company and hampered their movement. Captain H. A. GRANT led his men into the enemy’s trench and here he and 2nd Lieutenant M. W. SETON-BROWNE were killed. The enemy retired and we killed a number of them in their retirement. The Officer Commanding the PIONEER Company came back and reported that his men were unable to advance on account of heavy losses. I went forward and separated our men from the PIONEERS and brought them along to where the leading men of “B” Company had established themselves in the enemy’s trench. I then reported the situation to the General Officer Commanding who ordered a retirement from the trench. This took place about 6:00am and by 7:00am I had got away all the wounded. Subsequently it transpired that the 1/39 GARWHALS actually joined up to this part of the trench captured by us at about 6:30am. At 8:30 am I left FESTUBERT with the 2 Companies to proceed to billets at GORRE, when we came under shrapnel fire. E and D’s. Remainder of Battalion (Headquarters, “A”, “D” Companies, Machine Gun and 1st LINCOLNS) returned to GORRE remaining in reserve under orders of General MACBEAN Commanding BAREILLY Brigade. Arrived at GORRE 1:45am 24th eventually returned to billets at LA COUTRE during early afternoon.
On Friday December 18th 1914 The Leicester Journal published the following article under the heading. “THE ROLL OF HONOUR.” – Private H. O. Chamberlain, of the 2nd Leicestershire Regiment, died on Wednesday last at the Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, of wounds received in action in France. Responding to the call of a wounded officer outside the trenches to “pull him in,” Chamberlain was shot through the arm by a bullet which also killed the officer.
On Saturday December 19th 1914 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LOCAL CASUALTIES. DEATH WOUND WHILE RESCUING OFFICER. Private H. O. Chamberlain, of the 2nd Leicestershire Regiment died on Wednesday week at the Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, of wounds received in action in France. Responding to the call of a wounded officer outside the trenches to “pull him in,” Chamberlain was shot through the arm by a bullet, which also killed the officer. Chamberlain was able to proceed on foot to the base although feeling general weakness, and here it was found that he had lost a great quantity of blood, due to the main artery of the arm, being severed. He was later sent to the Brighton Hospital, and his mother, the widow of an ex member of the Leicester Fire Brigade, was communicated with. She visited the bedside of her son, and when she left him on Tuesday night, he appeared to be going on comfortably. She had no anxiety, and was greatly shocked to hear the following morning of his death, due to an unexpected recurrence of the haemorrhage. The funeral took place at Brighton.
On Friday December 25th 1914 The Leicester Journal published the following article under the heading. “THE ROLL OF HONOUR.” – Private H. O. Chamberlain, of the 2nd Leicester’s, died on December 9th from wounds received in action in France. His mother resides in Leicester.
On Saturday February 27th 1915 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” - HONOURED BY THE KING. – DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL. The Distinguished Conduct Medal has been awarded to a number of non-commissioned officers and men. The following recipients are in the Leicestershire Regiment. Private H. O. Chamberlain, 2nd Leicestershires.
On Friday April 9th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “GALLANT N.C.O.’S AND MEN.” – D.C.M. RECIPIENTS IN LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT.- A special supplement to the “London Gazette” on Thursday night announced that the King has been pleased to approve of the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to the following for acts of gallantry and devotion to duty:- Private E. W. Challen, 9600, 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, for gallantry displayed in the operations on 23rd and 24th November. Private H. O. Chambers, 9409, 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, for the gallantry displayed in the operations of the 23rd and 24th November. Corporal J. R. Bird, 6831, 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, for gallantry and ability on many occasions in obtaining valuable information relative to the enemy’s position. Has been noted for his readiness to undertake patrol duty. The whole list comprises 452 warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men, who have been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. A number of the names have already been published in previous supplements to the “London Gazette,” but the actions for which the awards were made were on Thursday night published for the first time.