Henry Chaney facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 August 1882 Bermondsey, London, England |
| Died | 27 February 1919 (aged 36) West Kensington, London, England |
| Resting place | North Sheen Cemetery |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Sports shooting |
Henry Edward Chaney (5 August 1882 – 27 February 1919) was a British sports shooter. He was also known for inventing the first practical gun camera. He received an OBE, which is a special award from the King.
Contents
Henry Chaney's Life
Henry Chaney was born in Bermondsey, London, England. He lived from 1882 to 1919. He was a talented person who worked with both sports and military technology.
Sports Shooting Career
Henry Chaney was a skilled shooter. He competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He took part in the 300 metre free rifle event. He finished in 40th place in this competition.
Military Service and Inventions
Henry joined the Lancashire Fusiliers when he was 16 years old in 1898. He quickly moved up in rank. He became a sergeant in 1899 and later a sergeant instructor. By 1909, he was a Quartermaster Sergeant instructor.
His military work led him to develop new weapons. He worked especially with the Lewis gun, which was a type of machine gun. He also helped create the first "Gunbus", which was an early armed aircraft.
Inventing the Gun Camera
Henry Chaney had a lot of experience with both cameras and machine guns. He started to think about how to combine them. His goal was to create a camera that could be used for training pilots.
His first successful gun camera was simple. He attached a box camera next to the barrel of a standard Lewis gun. This allowed the camera to record what the gun was aiming at.
He kept working on his idea. This led to the Hythe Gun Camera Mk 111. In this improved design, the camera was built right into the gun's barrel. The camera worked by using the gun's own parts. You would cock the camera using the Lewis gun's handle. The camera's shutter would then open when the gun's trigger was pulled.
This new gun camera looked and felt like a real Lewis gun. It was very useful for training pilots to aim properly. The War Office approved his design, and it was put into production.
Awards and Recognition
For his important work, King George V gave Henry Chaney an OBE award in 1918. He was also mentioned in official reports twice for his valuable service during World War I. This meant his bravery and contributions were officially recognized.
Later Life and Passing
Henry Chaney passed away in 1919 in London. He was buried in North Sheen Cemetery. At the time of his death, he was a Major in the Royal Air Force. He was also writing a book about his experiences as a flying officer during World War I.
