Name
Frederick Chapman
21/04/1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
24930
London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
1st (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 6 and 8.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium to the missing.
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town Memorial,
Christ Church (formerly Holy Trinity Church) Waltham Cross,
Railwaymen Died in the Great War Roll of Honour
Pre War
Frederick Chapman was born in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, on 21st April 1895, son of Sidney Chapman a, Great Eastern Railway Company, Plate Layer and Mary Ann Chapman (nee Ball). One of nine children.
Frederick attended St Mary Infants School and Dewhurst Endowed Boy’s School, Cheshunt, leaving in December 1904, aged 9, when the family left the area.
1901 Census records Frederick aged 5, living with his parents and five siblings at, Railway Cottage, Cadmore lane, Cheshunt, Herts.
1911 Census, Frederick (15) had left school and was employed as a Nurseryman Helper, living with his parents, and seven siblings at, GER Cottage, Park Lane, Waltham Cross, Herts.
Frederick joined the Great Eastern Railway Company in November 1912. At the time he enlisted he was working as a Ticket Collector.
Wartime Service
Frederick enlisted at Mill Hill, London/Middx, in January 1916, aged 20, Posted to the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) with the service number GS/24930.
On completion of his training he sailed to France, seeing action on the Western Front. He is recorded as died on or since 31st July 1917, at the Battle of Pilken Ridge (31st July – 2nd August 1917), Part of the Third battle of Ypres. It is believed Frederick was wounded in the battle and take a prisoner of war (POW) and died soon after , he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium to the missing.
Additional Information
His effects of £8-9s-2d, Pay Owing and a War Gratuity of £6, went to his father Sidney.
Two of his brothers also fell in the War. Private 266741 Clement Chapman of the Hertfordshire Regiment died on 31st July 1917, (same day as Frederick) and Private 235227 Clifford Chapman of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers died on 4th July 1918.
Frederick is recorded in the “Railwaymen Died in the Great War Roll of Honour”.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
