08/11/2020
A thought for Remembrance Sunday.
This year sees us all staying closer to home and for me that is the village of North Nibley. On one of my walks, I found myself at the War Memorial and reading the names carved in stone. I was drawn to two with the same name G Capener RN and P Capener, who unlike the other names did not have who he served with next to his name. Returning home I decided to look into the two names and checked the Commonwealth War Graves site, thinking, there can’t be too many Capener's.
I could not find any Capener's associated with North Nibley, however after further investigation I found them on the 1901 Census. They were brothers, Gilbert and Percy Capener and at this time had been living with their father, Thomas, four siblings, a grandson and housekeeper Jane James. Their father, Thomas, was a Carter on a farm, Gilbert was 3 years old and Percy was 10 months. His wife F***y had died in 1886, however there was no mention of the boys mother.
Next I find them in 1911, where something has gone very wrong for the family, Thomas and his 6 children were in Dursley Workhouse and labeled as inmates. Gilbert was 11 years old and Percy 8 years old.
Back to the Commonwealth War Graves site, but this time I inserted the name of James instead of Capener. Gilbert James, Boy First Class had died on the 5th June 1916 whilst serving on HMS Hampshire, the same ship Lord Kitchener was on. He was 17 years old and is today commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Gilbert’s brother Percy, also with the surname James is listed as having been killed in action on Wednesday 28th August 1918 whilst serving with the 5th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. The Devons were north east of Baupaume and had pushed patrols out towards the Sugar Factory west of Vraucourt. 17 year old Percy was posted as missing and he is today remembered on the Vis En Artois Memorial to the Missing in France.
It has been a tough year for all of us, but compared to the lives of these two young brothers and the hardship they had to endure throughout their short lives, we should count ourselves as privileged – so today we take a moment to remember all of those who have lost their lives in the service of our country – “We will remember them”.