Frederick Charles Chapman

• 28th. This was the battalion bath day and clean underclothing was issued to the force.
• 31st 2 companies were despatched to the trenches which were wet and ‘fallen in’ on the departure of the previous company and because communication trenches were in such a bad state it was difficult to get rations up to the front.
• November 3rd. The enemy was very quiet even calling across and waving bottles above the parapet.
• 8th. The men had their feet greased with anti-frostbite grease. They complained it caused soreness but said at least it kept their feet warmer. (Trenchfoot was the curse of troops’ life because of the cold, wet winter conditions and this could lead to gangrene and even amputation of lower limbs)

• 19th. They were promised a much needed month’s rest behind the lines when the days were filled with training, marches, lectures, church parades and some sporting competitions. Their billets at Tournehem were said to be good!
• December 5th. The diary states that a football matches took place with A,B and D    companies taking part against Headquarters! There was a 30/- prize. A boxing ring was also erected and they had a machine gun competition with the Royal West Kent Regiment.
• 25th. Christmas Day. It was a fine day and the men played football in the morning, attended church service at noon, had a “colossal feed at 1pm of chicken, fruit and plum pudding” and had a concert in the afternoon.
• Normal training continued after that until January.
• January 7th. Troops were moved to the trenches north of the Menin Road between Ypres and Hooge . Enemy activity in the next week resulted in casualties.
• 14th. They moved back to camp near Poperinge until 31st then back to the same trenches until February 7th.
• February 7th-19th. They went to the Zillebeke Dugouts for a rest but the H.Q. was badly shelled.
• 19th Back to the Hooge trenches where sniping was a regular occurrence but on several occasions the German soldiers shouted over “Tommy” and “friend”. It was certainly not ALL aggression on the part of the ordinary ranks on both sides as no doubt they were all tired of the conditions, food and continuous discomfort!
• 24th-27th. Back to Zillebeke for rest and recovery for those who made it unscathed.
• March 1st. and 2nd. Heavy activity was suffered in the trenches with trench mortars and ‘whizbangs’ being exchanged regularly.
• 16th. Back in Zillebecke and news was heard that awards had been granted to Temp. 2nd. Lt. Gerald Spencer Tetley  a  Military Cross and  Distinguished Conduct Medals to Privates Jewson and O’Connell. This raised morale.
• April Brought daily casualties to trench bound troops and working parties .
• May and June were also bad and there was a definite increase in enemy activity but a major plan was being made for a massive attack down in the Somme area to take the pressure off the French struggling at Verdun.  Thus the 9th East Surreys were to leave the  Belgium area.
• July 1st  this was the first day of the dreadful infamous Battle of the Somme when so many lives were lost but our lads didn’t arrive down in the area, at Morlancourt until 24th.They were in training here behind the lines until further orders were received.
• August 9th. They were to relieve the 1/5th. North Lancs. Regiment in reserve trenches. This happened on 13th. and C and D companies went in whilst A&B were left behind in training. The reserve trenches were 1 mile S.W. of Guillemont. Then they were moved up to relieve 8th. Queen’s in the front line trenches W. and S.E. of Arrowhead Copse. (see map and war diary for 16th enclosed) ready for the attack on:

16th. August:

C and D companies advanced from Lamb and New trenches at 5.42pm. after the artillery had supposedly ‘softened’ the enemy position. At this time several of the 18lb. shells fell short of the enemy and killed/injured our own men who were waiting to ‘go over the top’.

Leading waves ‘in perfect lines’ had barely left their positions when they came under strong rifle fire from the front and machine gun fire from both flanks. The objective was a strong point consisting of a solidly built concrete dugout surrounded by a well built trench just S.W. of the village of Guillemont.  As the objective was reached there was a tremendous volley of bombs. It was slaughter.

In those few brief hours our casualties were; 5 Officers killed, 2 Officers wounded, 181 of the 249 ‘Other Ranks’ killed, injured or missing.

Frederick Chapman would have known of the death of his friend David Graves and probably found it really hard to continue without him.

1917 saw more action  at Vimy, Messines, Pilkem Ridge and Langemark and in early 1918 his battalion was involved in the Battle of St. Quentin. Then in the autumn, in the final push, the Advance to Victory on November 6th, Private Frederick Charles Chapman was killed just 5 days before hostilities ceased and the Armistice was declared. According to the war diary he was killed by an unlucky shell alongside 6 others and 2 were injured and subsequently died. He had gone through so much but was sacrificed at the end aged 27 years. His service records state that he was initially buried ‘in an isolated grave 150 yards in from the S.W. side of the road from Jenlain to St. Waast, 8 miles S.E. of Valenciennes, 1 and 1/4 miles S.E. of Wargnies-le-Grand but was exhumed later and re-interred at Cross Roads Cemetery, Fontaine au Bois, 4 and ½ miles N.E. of Le Cateau’.

R.I.P.