Part 41

=CHAPMAN, EDWARD HENRY=, Lieut.-Col., 6th (Service) Battn. Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own Yorkshire Regt., 1st _s._ of Edward Henry Chapman, of Cobrey Park, Ross, co. Hereford, by his late wife, Elizabeth Eden, dau. of James Walker, of Airy Hill, Whitby; _b._ Budleigh Salterton, co. Devon; educ. Aysgarth School, Yorkshire, United Services College, Westward Ho! and Sandhurst; obtained his commission in the 2nd Yorkshires, 20 Feb. 1895; and was promoted Lieut. 18 Aug. 1897, Capt. 29 Sept. 1901, Major 11 Feb. 1911, and Lieut.-Col. 19 Aug. 1914. He served in India and Burmah; took part in the Tirah Campaign, 1897–8, including the capture of the Sampagha and Arhanga Passes, the action at Saran Sar, and the operations round Dwatoi and against the Khani and Khel Chamkanis, and received the Tirah medal with two clasps. When war was declared in Aug. 1914, he was in charge of the Richmond Depôt, and undertook the raising of the 6th Battn., which formed part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. He was killed in action, 7 Aug. 1915, at the capture of the hill at Lalla Baba. The Chaplain of the 32nd Brigade, writing to his father, said: “He died as he would have wished to die--a gallant soldier leading his men, himself at the very front of the regt., on the summit of Lala Baba. As you have perhaps since learned we were to make a fresh landing on the night of the 6th inst. There were urgent reasons why we should capture the hill in silence, at the point of the bayonet without firing a shot. The moment we landed we were met with a very hot and accurate fire, which accounted for many casualties before our task was accomplished. Our advance, however, was irresistible, and despite the hail of bullets and the shower of shrapnel which had now got the range, the Yorkshires pushed forward to the Turkish trenches on the crest of the hill. There it was that the colonel’s gifts of leadership made themselves felt. ‘Come on the Yorkshires,’ he cried, and at their head with fixed bayonets, the lads he trained so well swept forward with irresistible force and the hill was ours. This brilliant little initial victory was, however, very dearly bought, for on the summit lay our colonel dead, and scattered all around a mass of wounded, dead and dying. With dawn we were able to estimate our losses. The losses among the men were heavy, but by no means proportional to the officers. The officers are young men who have received their commissions since the formation of the New Army. I go to see them in the firing line as often as I can. Their wonderful confidence and courage pass all belief. Confronted with a task that would try the nerve and test the skill of the most experienced soldier, commanded by a junior captain of 24 years, this little band of lads (for they are little more) with a wonderful courage, inspire with confidence and hope the men so unexpectedly committed to their care. It is a fresh and glorious page to be written in the history of the ‘Green Howards.’ Your son died instantaneously, shot through the neck. I was by his side not long afterwards, and so was able to prepare roughly for his burial. We buried him the same day in the same grave as his cousin, Wilfred Chapman, and two other officers, and have since erected a rough cross over the grave. At the moment of the accomplishment of the task he had been ordered to perform, with a quiet happy smile upon his face, he met his end as I know he would have chosen had the choice been his--the end of an English gentleman and a very gallant soldier.--P.S.--I am writing this under shell fire, so you must excuse its many errors.” He was _unm._ A tablet to his memory was placed in Richmond Parish Church, Yorkshire.

=CHAPMAN, FRANK JAMES ALBERT=, Private, No. 2856, 5th Battn. The Royal Sussex Regt. (T.F.), _s._ of Frank William Chapman, Driver A.S.C. (now on service in France), by his wife, Elizabeth Eliza (Dale Hill, Ticehurst, Sussex), dau. of James Francis; _b._ Frimwell, co. Sussex, 9 Sept. 1895; educ. Ticehurst Council School; enlisted about 18–19 Nov. 1914; went to France, 20 Feb. 1915, and was killed in action there, 12 July, 1915, being shot by a sniper; _unm._ His brother, Driver Walter Reginald Chapman, No. 092582, A.S.C., is now (1916) on active service in Egypt.

=CHAPMAN, FRED CHARLES=, Leading Stoker (R.F.R., Ch. B. 8421), 294415, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=CHAPMAN, FREDERICK=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 9954), S.S. 107663, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=CHAPMAN, GEORGE ERNEST=, Private, No. 9073, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, 2nd _s._ of Henry Chapman, of Thorpe Salvin, Worksop, Farm Horseman, by his wife, Harriett, dau. of William Good; _b._ Thorpe Salvin, co. Nottingham, 29 Nov. 1889; enlisted 10 April, 1911, and served three years with the Colours, then passing into the Reserve and joining the Nottingham County Constabulary. He was stationed at headquarters during his brief service with the force, and his superior officers spoke highly of him. On the declaration of war in August following, however, he was called up and was killed in action at Rentel, Belgium, 29 Oct. 1914; _unm._

=CHAPMAN, GEORGE MARTIN=, M.A., M.B., M.R.C.S., Lieut., R.A.M.C., attached 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays), 2nd _s._ of the Hon. Mr. Justice Frederick Revans Chapman, a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, by his wife, Clara, dau. of George Cook, of Dunedin, Barrister, and gdson. of the late Hon. Henry Samuel Chapman, also a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand; _b._ Dunedin, New Zealand, 26 March, 1887; educ. Waitaki High School, Oamaru, New Zealand, and the Otago University Medical School, and on leaving there went to London to study medicine and passed the conjoint Boards Examination, under which he subsequently became M.R.C.S. In 1907, however, he decided to go to Cambridge, where he remained until 1910, studying medicine and graduating in Arts. He then returned to the London Hospital and went through all the appointments held by the Junior Staff. When war broke out he was House Physician, but was already appointed House Surgeon. Owing to shortage he had to hold both appointments until he went to Shorncliffe in Sept. 1914. He was gazetted a Lieut., R.A.M.C., on the 11th of that month, went to the Front, and was attached to the 2nd Dragoon Guards in Feb. While serving in No. 11 General Hospital at Boulogne, a small vessel was wrecked in a gale on 7 Dec. All but the skipper got away from her. Two British soldiers attempted without success to rescue this man and had themselves to be put under treatment. Lieut. Chapman swam out and gripped the old skipper as he was drowning, and both were dragged ashore. For this he was awarded, by the French Government, the Gold Medaille de Souvetage, inscribed “pour courage et dévouement,” and was commended in a British Routine Order. The two privates received silver medals. He was killed in action at the Second Battle of Ypres, 13 May, 1915, when his regt. was holding the trenches on the Zonnebeke Road, a little east of Ypres. He and the men who were standing by him were killed instantaneously by a shell while attending the wounded machine gunners, and was buried with two other officers of the same regt. in the grounds of the Chateau of Potijge; _unm._ The Major of the Bays wrote: “We were in the trenches under a very severe shell fire. Your son was most gallantly attending to the wounded when a shell killed him instantly, as well as two men who were standing by him. We took his body back and buried him in the grounds of a chateau just east of Potijge cross roads, a small village east of Ypres. I cannot tell you what a loss he is to this regt.; he had only been with us two months, but was most popular with officers and men. Please accept the sympathy of the entire regt. with your great loss, and you have the great consolation that he died doing his duty very gallantly as a soldier should”; and the Col. of the 1st Cavalry Division: “I, in common with all who knew your son, would like to express our sincere condolence to his family. His gallant conduct throughout the engagement won him the admiration of officers and men alike; he died a noble death attending wounded in the trenches under a murderous fire. His death deprives me of one of the best officers that ever served under me, and I again tender you my deepest sympathy in your great bereavement.” When at Cambridge he was a noted athlete, taking his blue in Rugby football in 1907, and subsequently his half-blue in boxing. In both of these sports he upheld the name of his hospital when in London, and also played for other clubs, notably, for the Harlequins. One of his teachers, writing in the British Medical Journal, 29 May, 1915, said: “Perhaps at his age it is inevitable that his athletic gifts should attract more attention than his high mental abilities and sterling moral sense, which in later years would have readily won him a new renown. He was cast in a heroic mould, and, while it is no doubt true nothing became him more than the manner of his death, it is but cold comfort to many who mourn the early end of so admirable a life--the sudden quenching of so much vital and kindly force.”

=CHAPMAN, HARRY REYNOLDS=, Major, 10th (Service) Battn. Durham L.I., eldest _s._ of the late Capt. Abel Henry Chapman, formerly 19th Hussars, and chairman-director of Messrs. Clarke, Chapman & Co.’s Works, Gateshead-on-Tyne, by his wife, Mary (Colinton, Midlothian), dau. of John Fraser; _b._ Benares, India, 27 April, 1868; educ. Uppingham. On leaving school in 1891 he entered his father’s works and became a director in 1893. He was keenly interested in a volunteer corps of Royal Engineers raised in the works, of which he became Major. On the outbreak of the war he offered his services and received a commission in the 10th Service Battn. of the Durhams. Major Chapman was killed in action in France, 27 June, 1915. He _m._ Elinore Phyllis (Wingfield, Eagle Lane, Snaresbrook, Essex), dau. of John Larkin, and left three daus.; Elinore Mary, _b._ 15 Feb. 1899; Dorothy Harriet, _b._ 5 Aug. 1900; and Phyllis Agatha, _b._ 8 May, 1904.

=CHAPMAN, HERBERT ALFRED=, Private, No. 2221, 4th Suffolk Regt., _s._ of William Chapman, of Norwich, Carpenter; _b._ Norwich, 9 March, 1870; educ. Boys’ Model School there; was in the employ of Messrs. Cowell, Ltd., as a Compositor for over 20 years; volunteered and enlisted 1 Sept. 1914; went to France, was wounded in action there, 16 May, 1915, and died at the Dover Military Hospital, 21 May following. Capt. E. L. Brown wrote: “I consider him a man of the highest rank. No officer could want a more willing soldier, no soldier could desire a better comrade.” Lieut. A. Brunzee also wrote saying what a splendid example he set his younger companions. He _m._ at St. Nicholas’ Chapel, Ipswich, 21 Aug. 1898, Priscilla Jane, dau. of Thomas Pizzy, of High Street, Ipswich, Greengrocer, and had seven children: Arthur Frederick, _b._ 4 March, 1907; Millicent Bertha, _b._ 9 Jan. 1900; Dorothy May, _b._ 11 Feb. 1902; Ruby Cecily, _b._ 20 March, 1905; Marjorie Florence, _b._ 5 Aug. 1908; Winnifred Laura, _b._ 7 June, 1910; and Ellen Mary, _b._ 27 May, 1913.

=CHAPMAN, JOE=, Leading Stoker (R.F.R., Ch. B. 8437), 294702, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=CHAPMAN, PERCEVAL CHRISTIAN=, Capt., Royal Artillery, attd. 26th (Jacob’s) Mountain Battery, 2nd _s._ of the Rev. Theodore Charles Chapman, M.A., Secretary of the Church Pastoral Aid Society, and late Vicar of Christ Church, Clifton, by his wife, Alice Barr, dau. of the late Patrick Keith, of 26, Queen’s Gate Gardens, S.W.: _b._ Laxey Parsonage, Isle of Man, 10 March, 1884; educ. Clifton College and Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, where he was Tombs Memorial scholar. He was gazetted to the Royal Garrison Artillery, 15 July, 1903, and promoted Lieut. 15 July, 1906. On the outbreak of war he volunteered for Imperial service, was promoted Capt. 30 Oct. 1914. From July, 1907, he had served with the 26th (Jacob’s) Mountain Battery of the Indian Army. He died at Alexandria, 1 May, 1915, of wounds received in action during the landing at Gaba Tepe on 25 April, 1915; _unm._

=CHAPMAN, PHILIP GEORGE=, Private, No. 1742 (Pioneer), B Coy., 4th Battn. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Australian Imperial Force, 4th _s._ of Philip George Chapman, of 3A, Franche Court Road, Tooting, S.W., Coachbuilder, by his wife, Eliza, dau. of the Rev. Charles Carter, Baptist Minister; _b._ Tostock, co. Suffolk, 13 Feb. 1884; educ. Waldron Road L.C.C. School, Wandsworth; left England for Australia in Aug. 1911, and was for some time in the bush, afterwards working in Blackbutt, Queensland, and then going to Sydney. He enlisted in Jan. 1915, and was wounded in the charge of the Australians at Lone Pine, 14 Aug. 1915, dying the day following at Alexandria; _unm._ He had been ordered a rest because of his eyes being weak, but would not go upon hearing of the impending charge. Chapman was a keen athlete, holding many medals for swimming, gymnastics and football.

=CHAPMAN, RICHARD KEPPEL GEORGE SUTTON=, Midshipman, R.N., yst. _s._ of Francis Hay Chapman, Commander R.N. (retired), of 12, Foster Road, Alverstoke, Hants, by his wife, Amy Georgiana, 2nd dau. of the late Capt. Frederick Sutton, 11th Hussars, and granddau. of Capt. Robert Nassau Sutton, 7th Fusiliers, A.D.C. to Sir Ralph Abercrombie in Egypt [3rd son of Sir Richard Sutton, 1st Bart., M.P.]; _b._ Blackheath, S.E., 26 Oct. 1898; educ. Shirley House School, Old Charlton, Weymouth College, and the Osborne and Dartmouth Royal Naval Colleges; joined H.M.S. Bulwark, 3 Aug. 1914, when the Fleet mobilised for war. He was killed at Sheerness in the explosion on board that ship, 26 Nov. 1914. Chapman was a general favourite and a keen sportsman. A former tutor wrote: “May the thought that no finer or more upright lad ever wore naval uniform in some small measure be your consolation,” and another wrote: “No one that had anything to do with Dickie could help loving him.”

=CHAPMAN, WILFRID HUBERT=, Capt., 6th (Service) Battn. Alexandra Princess of Wales’ Own Yorkshire Regt., 4th and yst. surviving _s._ of the late Joseph John Chapman, of St. Hilda’s Terrace, Whitby, by his wife, Fanny, dau. of Henry Simpson, and gdson. of Joseph Barker Chapman; _b._ Goudhurst, co. Kent, 13 Dec. 1879; and went to Eton (Mr. Hale’s in 1894, and afterwards with his brother, Harold, in 1895 to Mr. Somerville’s). Here he soon became known as a boy of independent, original character, and a promising athlete. In 1897 he was first Whip of the Beagles and second Captain of the Boats; he won the school steeplechase, mile and half-mile, and rowed bow of the eight which won at Henley. In 1898 he won the Steeplechase again, and for the second time rowed bow of the eight which won the Ladies Plate at Henley. From Eton he went to Trinity College, Cambridge, and in 1899 rowed bow of the eight which beat Oxford for the first time for 10 years. At the time of the South African War he was given (10 July, 1900) a commission as Lieut. in the 4th (Militia) Battn. of the Yorkshires, and served through that campaign, being promoted Capt. 25 Feb. 1901, and receiving the Queen’s medal with three clasps. At the end of the war he retired, returned to Cambridge, and was in the winning Cambridge crews of 1902 and 1903, and was president of the Cambridge University Boating Club in the latter year. On leaving Cambridge he went into business in London, but still kept up his rowing. He was in the Third Trinity eight which won the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley in 1902, and the four that won the Stewards’ Challenge Cup the same year, on both occasions beating Leander in the finals. In 1903 for Third Trinity, which won the Stewards’ Challenge Cup. This was said to be the best four ever seen at Henley up to that date. In the Grand Challenge Cup Third Trinity were only beaten by six feet after a most exciting struggle, in which each boat took the lead alternately. In 1904 he was in the Leander eight which won the Grand Challenge Cup, and in the Third Trinity four which won the Stewards’ Challenge Cup. In 1905 he went to India as an assistant in the Bombay Co., and when war was declared he was manager of the company in Karachi. He immediately joined the Sind Volunteer Field Artillery, but being desirous of going to the Front and failing to get permission from the company, he threw up his appointment, came home and rejoined the Yorkshires as Capt. in June, 1915. The regt. left England for the Dardanelles early the following month, and Capt. Chapman was killed in the landing at Suvla Bay, 6 Aug. 1915. He _m._ at Barkway, co. Herts, 5 Aug. 1909, May Campbell, dau. of Alexander Sinclair, of 5e, Montagu Mansions, Portman Square, W., and had two daus.: Elizabeth Mary, _b._ 22 April, 1911; and Annie Wilfrida Sinclair, _b._ 31 Dec. 1913. His elder brother, Percy, Lieut., 21st Lancers, died of enteric in the Sudan in 1905; another brother, Harold, a Capt. in the Yorkshires, was wounded in Gallipoli a day or two after his brother was killed.

=CHAPMAN, WILLIAM ALFRED=, Private, No. 16431, 2nd Battn. Grenadier Guards, _s._ of William George Chapman, Police Sergeant, Herts Constabulary, in charge of the police station at Royston; _b._ Weston, co. Herts, 24 Nov. 1894; commenced his career in the engineering works of the Dacre Motor Car Co. at Letchworth, and after a short time in the Heatly Gresham Works, enlisted in the Grenadier Guards, 24 April, 1913. He left England with his regt. on or about 12 Aug. 1914, was in the retreat from Mons, and in the various subsequent engagements, being taken prisoner in Nov. but managed to escape. He was killed in action near Béthune, while carrying a despatch from the firing line to Headquarters. A comrade wrote that when the bullet struck him he smiled and fell down dead. Chapman was recommended in F.M. Sir John French’s Despatch of 14 Jan. 1915, for gallant and distinguished service in the field.

=CHAPPLE, JOHN HENRY=, Corpl., R.M.L.I., Ch. 14863, H.M.S. Pathfinder, lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.

=CHARITY, JOHN EDWARD=, Stoker, 2nd Class, K. 21839, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.

=CHARLES, GEORGE=, Private, No. 4242, 1st Battn. Royal Scots, _s._ of the late George Charles, of Leven, co. Fife, by his wife, Catherine, dau. of the late Alexander Mitchell, of Leven; _b._ Leith, 1871; educ. Bonnington Road School there; enlisted Nov. 1914, and was killed in action at Ypres, 4 May, 1915. He _m._ at Leith, 29 July, 1894, Catherine (died 30 April, 1911), dau. of James Dalgleish, and had two sons and four daus.: George, Private, No. 6410, Royal Scots Fusiliers (twice wounded), _b._ 1895; James, Private, No. 1942, -- Battn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, _b._ 1897 (both on active service); Barbara; Lizzie, _b._ 9 June, 1901; Kate, and Isabella, _b._ 3 Oct. 1907.

=CHARLES, JAMES ARTHUR MERRIMAN=, 2nd Lieut., 1st Battn. King’s Shropshire L.I., only _s._ of the Rev. James Hamilton Charles, M.A., R.D., Vicar of Oakham, by his wife, Elisabeth, dau. of the late John Jones Merriman, of 45, Kensington Square, W., M.D.; _b._ Whittlesea, Peterborough, 7 Feb. 1890; educ. Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A. 1912); joined Special Reserve, King’s Shropshire L.I. 4 Nov. 1912, and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 1st Battn. 5 Nov. 1914. He was wounded in action at Rue du Bois, Armentières, 23 Oct. 1914, having been chosen by his colonel to hold some advance trenches only 400 yards away from the Germans. Many of his men had fallen round him and he had sent his servant with a message asking for reinforcements, to which the colonel replied on a piece of paper that he was to “hold on.” It was while reading this message that he was shot through the head, after which, though partially paralysed and unable to speak clearly, he lay in the trench for eight hours giving orders to his men through his servant, till the latter was also wounded. Two men then volunteered to carry him to the dressing station, which they did under heavy fire. He was at once removed to Boulogne and later to England, and died after a serious operation in King Edward VII’s Hospital for Officers, 9, Grosvenor Gardens, London, 10 Feb. 1915; _unm._

=CHARLETON, THOMAS HOLT=, Private, No. 19588, Scottish Rifles, 2nd _s._ of James Parker Charleton, of Southwick-on-Wear, co. Durham, Shipyard Labourer, by his wife, Ann (21, Thomas Street, Southwick-on-Wear), dau. of James Holt, of Oldham; _b._ Southwick-on-Wear, 15 Sept. 1894; educ. National School there; was employed at Pickergill’s, Sunderland; enlisted 1 Feb. 1915; went to the Front 2 Aug. 1915, and was killed in action at the Battle of Loos, 25 Sept. 1915; _unm._ He was buried on a farm near Loos, just behind the firing line.

=MUSTARD CHARLETON, WILLIAM=, L.-Corpl., No. 2254, 7th Battn. Durham L.I. (T.F.), eldest _s._ of James Mustard, of Southwick, Bottleblower, by his wife, Jane, dau. of William Charleton, of Southwick; _b._ Southwick-on-Wear, 28 Oct. 1890; educ. National School there; was employed at Priestman’s Yard, Sunderland; joined the 7th (Territorial) Battn. of the Durham L.I. 5 May, 1913, but signed on again, and on the outbreak of war volunteered for Imperial Service, went to the Front 24 May, 1915, and was killed in action at Hill 60, 24 May, 1915. He _m._ at Sunderland, 5 April, 1913, Alice (16, Ogle Terrace, Southwick-on-Wear), 4th dau. of Samuel Kirkham, of Middlesbro’, and had two sons: William, _b._ 23 Sept. 1913, and John, _b._ 28 Feb. 1915.

=CHARLTON, JOHN RAYWOOD=, Teleg., J. 11054, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East coast, 5 Sept. 1914.

=CHARLTON, BENJAMIN DAVID=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch. 9493, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._

=CHARLTON, ST. JOHN ALAN=, Lieut., 4th Battn. Bedfordshire Regt., only _s._ of St. John Charlton, of Cholmondeley Malpas, co. Chester, Agent to the Marquess of Cholmondeley, by his wife, Elisabeth Bronwen, dau. of the late Hugh Robert Hughes, of Kinmel, co. Derby, and Lady Florentia Emily, née Liddell, dau. of Henry Thomas, 1st Earl of Ravensworth; _b._ Cholmondeley, 17 Nov. 1889; educ. Eton College, and was given a commission in the 4th Special Reserve Battn. of the Bedfords, 2 Dec. 1911. On the declaration of war he volunteered for foreign service, went to the Front with the first Expeditionary Force, and was killed in action at Festubert, 26 Oct. 1914; _unm._ Lieut. Charlton was a well-known member of the Cheshire Hunt.

=CHARMAN, JOHN EDWARD=, Private, No. 1738, 4th Battn. Royal Sussex Regt. (T.F.), _s._ of William Charman, of 1, Friday Street, Warnham; served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force; killed in action at the Dardanelles, 21 Aug. 1915.

=CHARMAN, JOSEPH PHILIP=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 8880), 194784, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._

=CHARMAN, WILLIAM=, Private, No. G. 3557, 2nd Battn. Royal West Surrey Regt., _s._ of William Charman, of 22, Lawnsmead, Wonersh, Guildfield; served with the Expeditionary Force in France; killed in action, 16 May, 1915.