BORN HULL 05/03/1881. SON OF AMBROSE CAPES (1853-1900) & MARY ELIZABETH RICHARDSON, OF 7 MARFLEET TERRACE, BARNSLEY STREET, HULL. A LABOURER. HE LIVED AT 8 ROSEDALE AVENUE, UPTON STREET, HULL.
HE ENLISTED IN THE ROYAL NAVY, ON 21/04/1900. DESCRIBED AS 5 FOOT, 2 INCHES TALL, BLUE EYES, DARK BROWN HAIR. SERVED TWELVE YEARS AS STOKER, NO:295129. HE WAS PRESENT DURING THE ‘BOXER REBELLION’ IN CHINA. TIME EXPIRED AND DISCHARGED WITH A ‘VERY GOOD’ CHARACTER’ RECORD. A NAVAL RESERVIST, WHEN WAR BEGAN. HE ENLISTED IN HULL. SERVED AS LANCE CORPORAL, 2107, THE 4TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. ARRIVED IN FRANCE, ON 17/04/1915. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION, ON 17/06/1916, AGED 34. BURIED IN BELGIUM. HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION READS, “AT REST”.
HIS NAME WAS LISTED ON THE BARNSLEY STREET ROLL OF HONOUR. HIS PHOTOGRAPH APPEAR IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL 29TH JUNE 1915. * HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 07/07/1916.
HE LEFT BROTHER, FRANK CAPES, WHO ALSO SERVED.
1/4th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment – Map 28 Wytschaete – 17 June 1916, War Diary reads:-
12.25am Enemy released Gas opposite E trenches, the wind at the time was North and rather variable. It blew the gas across the ‘New Cut’ trench E3. E1. E6 trenches. The gas cloud was very thick and lasted about 20 minutes. Few casualties were caused at first, but the after effects proved fatal in several cases, 2nd Lt WF Carlton was killed in F Trench, 2nd Lt Gresham very severely wounded, 2nd Lt Sutton slightly wounded, 2nd Lt WRR Brown and 2nd Lt Marshall were affected by shock and gas and left the trenches.
The Total casualties were, Officers killed 1, wounded 3, other ranks killed 10, wounded 74, missing 1. 5 other ranks of the wounded subsequently died at the dressing station at LINDENHOEK. 2nd Lt GH Lofthouse sick to hospital.
18 June 1916
Quiet day no casualties. 2nd Lt Carlton and 17 other ranks were buried at LINDENHOEK Cemetery, N.27.c. These men were casualties on the 17/06/1916. Six were killed by shellfire, 11 died of gas poisoning. 2 men of the wounded died in hospital and 2 others were buried at LOCRE.
