Albert Kempster

Born in Bedfordshire, Albert Kempster moved to the Channel Islands shorty after joining the Northampton Regiment in 1891. He served in the Army for a total of 27 years and saw service as a corporal in the second Boer War, until he was invalided home in 1900 after just six months, suffering from enteric fever. Shortly afterwards, he was appointed to the permanent staff of the Royal Jersey Militia and remained in service until 1918, having attained the rank of sergeant major.

As a fine marksman, Kempster was a former honorary secretary of the Jersey Rifle Association, and represented the island at the annual Bisley Meeting on many occasions. He won two Olympic team pistol bronze medals at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics after failing to medal at the London Games four year earlier. As well as being a fine shot, Kempster was a good standard gymnast and fencer, and taught both sports during his time in the Army. He was also a top athlete and amateur boxer and was a one-time Army lightweight champion. On the island of Jersey, however, Kempster was better known for his voice as a celebrated opera and operetta singer.

Kempster had the Albert Medal conferred upon him by King George V for gallantry after stopping runaway horses near Pontac, Jersey, in September 1910. His actions probably saved the lives of the two women and two children aboard the carriage.