| The History of Coagh booklet lists Private William J Kempton as having served with the 12th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in the war.
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| It is believed William James Kempton was born either on 13th April 1865 or 19th February 1867 in the Cookstown area.
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| William Kempton enlisted on 22nd October 1888 in Cookstown. He was 23 years old.
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| Private Kempton served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in India from 1888 to 1896.
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| Private William Kempton and Mary Jane Hamill were married on 3rd June 1896 in the in the Registry Office in Cookstown.
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| He then served in Ireland until he went out to take part in the South African War in October 1899. He returned home in August 1900 after a bout of jaundice and served a further year until October 1901.
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| The 1901 census lists William James as age 35, living with his wife and family at house 38 in Great George's Street, Coagh. William was a blacksmith.
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| Known family: William James Kempton (born about 1865), Mary Jane Kempton, William Kempton (born about 9th June 1897, died 19th April 1898), James Kempton (born 13th November 1899), Thomas Kempton (born 25th July 1903).
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| The 1911 census lists William James as age 46, living with his family at house 30 in Great George's Street, Coagh. William was a blacksmith, Mary Jane was a spinner.
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| William James Kempton enlisted again on 6th April 1915 when he was 44 years old. Prior to enlisting, he was working as a blacksmith in Coagh.
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| Private Kempton was discharged on 18th January 1918, because he was no longer physically fit for service. He had served in the army for a total of 15 years, the latter time with the Labour Corps.
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| Pensioner W J Kempton died on 20th May 1945 in the County Hospital in Omagh.
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