Name
Reginald Walter Chappell
8 June 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/12/1916
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Sergeant
RMA/12324
Royal Marine Artillery
H.Q. Eastney
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KNEBWORTH (ST. MARTIN) CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
None (private grave) See HAW additional information
UK & Other Memorials
Knebworth Village Memorial, Knebworth (Old), St Martin's Church Memorial, Knebworth (New), St Martin's Church Framed Memorial Knebworth (New), The British Legion -Knebworth & District Branch ROH, St Martin Church, Knebworth (New), St Mary & St Thomas Church Memorial, Knebworth Park, Diocese - Book of Remembrance, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans, Diocese of St Albans - ROH, St Albans Cathedral, St Alban, Not on the Little Munden memorials
Pre War
Reginald Walter Chappell was born in Haultwich near Little Munden, nr Hertford, Herts, in 1891 the son of Henry and Mary Ann Chappell, and was baptised on 26 July 1891 at Little Munden . He was one of eight children.
By the 1901 Census the family had moved to 2 Westland Road, Knebworth, Herts where his father was working as a Police Constable. Although his parents remained in Knebworth on the 1911 Census, then living at "Glencoe," 29 Pondcroft Road, Reginald had enlisted into the Royal Marine Artillery on the 10 August 1908 at the age of 17.
His parents later lived at 2 Anson Villas, St Julians Road, St Albans, Herts
Wartime Service
He was a serving soldier at the outbreak of war having served with the Royal Marine Artillery since 1908, and had been promoted to Lance Sergeant.
Reginald was wounded at Ypres on 22 May 1915 and died on 25 December 1916, aged 25. at Haslar Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, from septic pneumonia, a complication from his wounds, and is buried in St.Martin’s Churchyard, Knebworth.
Additional Information
His father obtained probate of Reginald's estate on 30 September 1949 [sic] with effects of £653.
Pension cards exist with his mother as dependant, and later his father when his mother died, but give no indication of the amount paid.
Reginald's headstone (not CWGC) bears the inscription:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF REGINALD WALTER
THE AFFECTIONATE SON OF HENRY AND MARY CHAPPELL
SERGEANT. R.M.A.
DIED IN HASLAR HOSPITAL DEC 15TH. 1916 AGED 25 YEARS.
THE AFFECTIONATE SON OF HENRY AND MARY CHAPPELL
SERGEANT. R.M.A.
DIED IN HASLAR HOSPITAL DEC 15TH. 1916 AGED 25 YEARS.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Paul Johnson
