QMS A Chapman, RAOC, 1914

CHAPMAN, ARTHUR

Rank:…………………......Squadron Quartermaster Serjeant

Service No:…………….3749

Date of Death:………..10/09/1914

Age:……………………......40

Regiment/Service:….Army Ordnance Corps

…………………………........No. 6 Coy.

Grave Reference:……26. 308.

Cemetery:………………..NORWICH CEMETERY, NORFOLK

Additional Information:

Son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Chapman; husband of P. E. Chapman, of Lawn House, Carrow Rd., Norwich

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2803086/CHAPMAN,%20AR...

 

No match on SDGW

 

No obvious Medal Index Card

 

Some of his Service Records have survived and are included in the Pension Records for his wife.

 

Arthur Chapman, aged 20 years and 9 months, enlisted at Great Yarmouth on the 5th September 1894 for a standard service of 7 years in the Army and 5 years in the Reserves with the Royal Artillery. His initial service number was 5632. On his attestation form he gives his birthplace as the parish of West Wymer in the town of Norwich. He was a Clerk and had served previously with the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment. He was 5 feet 8 and a quarter inches tall, weighed 134lbs, had a Pale Complexion with Light Brown Hair and Grey Eyes. Although passed fit at his Medical there is an advisory. Unfortunately its written by a Doctor so of course its illegible – possibly something to do with his Chest. His certificate of suitability for Military Service is signed by the Adjutant of the 4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. (That unit had previously been the 1st Volunteer Battalion).

 

After an initial spell at the Depot, he joined the 16th Company on the 31st October 1894. On the 1st January 1898 he was transferred to the Army Ordnance Corps.

 

From the 19th December 1894 to the 25th March 1899 he served in Egypt. He then had six months back in the UK before being shipped out to South Africa on the 16th September 1899, staying there until the 2nd June 1903.

 

He was appointed Lance Corporal on the 20th November 1899, 2nd Corporal on the 20th January 1901 and Corporal on the 10th May 1902. On the 20th June 1902 he extended his service to a full 12 years in the Colours. There is a stamp to say that he has received the South African War Gratuity. He received the Kings South African Medal with clasps for the Transvaal and the Defence of Ladysmith.

 

His next of kin was initially his father, Mr Walter Chapman of 38 Russell Street, Norwich, but subsequently it was his wife. He married Eleanor Patience Forster at St Peters Parmentergate, Norwich on the 30th June 1903. The Officiating Minister was J L Poole and the witnesses were John James Jackson and Martha Mary Forster. (When she completed the pension form, Patience gives her date of birth as the 22nd September 1873).

 

On the 16th May 1904 their first child, Nellie Irene Mary Chapman, was born at York. She was baptised on the 5th June 1904

 

On the 6th July 1904 he was promoted Lance Sergeant but three days later that was changed to full Sergeant. On the 23rd March 1905 he extended his service to the full 21 years. A second child, Arthur William, was born at Norwich on the 1st February 1906. From the 16th March 1907 to the 14th December 1908 he was stationed at Singapore before returning to the UK.

 

On the 7th June 1909 he was promoted S.Sergeant (Squadron?). He passed the qualifying exam for the rank of Squadron Quarter Master Sergeant on the 1st November 1909, subsequently being promoted on the 27th August 1910. On the 27th November 1909 a third child, Russell Walter, was born when he was stationed at the Curragh in Ireland.

 

1911 would be a tragic year for the family. Russell died on the 13th January while Nellie died on the 1st November, (or possibly the 11th January – the 1 has been written above the 11.11 date).

 

On the 23rd June 1912 a fourth child was born, Leah Marjorie, at Dover.

 

In April 1913 he was awarded Long Service and Good Conduct Medals. This last note was signed by the “O.C. Dover Sect: No.6 Coy: A.O.C.” On the 27th August 1913 he got a pay increase for his loyal service.

 

He died at the 4th London General Hospital, Denmark Hill on the 10th September 1914 at 9.45 p.m.

 

The correspondence with Mrs Chapman starts practically straight away. She completes a Pension application in October 1914 and also asks if she can get a Certificate to show her husband died on Active Service as a Masonic School will then give her children free education. On the 2nd November 1914 the pension application was forwarded on by his unit to the Records Office whilst on the 7th, having heard from the hospital, a letter confirming Active Service death was sent to Mrs Chapman.

 

A report was requested from the officer he was working under at the time, Captain F.W.R. Hill, D.A.D.O.S., 1st London Division. He wrote it from Crowboro on the 28th September 1914.

 

“This N.C.O. joined the 1st London Division for duty on the 14th August last at Friars House, New Broad St., London, and took up his duties as my chief clerk. I had no other clerk, consequently all the clerical duties fell on him. These were heavy owing to mobilization, and necessitated long working hours, generally about 12 to 14 per day. On the 25th August the Division moved to Bisley and encamped, and he had to perform his duties under service conditions in a tent. On the 3rd Sept., about 10 p.m., some mistake he had made caused me to ask him whether anything was the matter or if he was ill. He then told me he had been ill for some time. I told him that if he was ill, he should report sick. This he did on Saturday morning. I wrote to the M.O. and asked him to let me know if it was a case for admission to hospital so that I could wire for a relief, and also whether it would be detrimental to the man if he remained at duty till his relief arrived. The sick report was marked “light duty”. I wrote to the A.D.M.S, of the Division and he said I ought to get a relief, so I tried for one. S.Q.M.S. Chapman told me he could continue his work till the relief arrived, and did his work on Saturday and Sunday, 5th & 6th Sept. I was out on duty on Sunday, and when I returned I heard that he had collapsed and been taken to hospital. I had no idea he was so ill, and I think he continued doing his work when he knew he was really not up to it from a sense of duty owing to the war.

 

I understand he died from an internal complaint, in which case he probably required a special diet, which of course he did not get while he remained at duty and drew the Field Service rations.”

 

The Medical Report by the Registrar at the Hospital confirms that the illness was not due to his own fault or negligence, but also could not be attributed as having been contracted whilst on Active Service. His condition, a gastric ulcer, had been present for some months, and “Hoematemis was the terminal event of a long process”.

 

Mrs Chapman mentions in her letter dated 18th December 1915 chasing up for news on the award of a pension “my husband was kept at work until he dropped even after he had gone sick and should have been sent to hospital, and I have his letters in which he wrote he couldn’t leave them in a hole and was waiting for his relief and that he was working very hard and many hours. And the doctor at the hospital told me he has come too late to have done for him what could have been done had he gone sooner, and also that he should never have been taken to London from Bisley Camp in the condition he was”

 

This seems to be the crux of the delay, along with the scandal of the delay in paying War Pensions during the early years of the war. There was a question of whether the disease from which Arthur died could be certified as caused or contracted on active service.

 

It took until January 1916 for a pension to be sorted out for Patience and her children. However the letter sent to tell her was sent to 95 Folkestone Road, Dover. This was returned in April 1918 as “Not Known”.

 

At the time the Medals were being issued at the start of 1921, the Pension Issue Office held an address of 8 Carlyle Road, City Road, Norwich for his widow.

 

His Dover connection has led to his story also being researched by the Dover War Memorial Project.

www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk/Casualties/CWGC/WWI%20...

 

1881 Censuses of England and Wales & Scotland

 

I could not originally find Arthur on these censuses, but armed with the details from the 1891 census I took another look. The Chapman family were already living at Russell Street, but the exact address isn’t shown. As well as parents Walter, (31, Bricklayer, born Norwich) and Louisa, (28, born Norwich), children then living with them are Eliza, (7), Arthur, (5), Ellen, (4) and Walter, (2) – all born Norwich.

 

Until 1911 the census information would be gathered by census takers going door to door. They would have been dependant on the quality of the information given them verbally, which be impacted by mis-communication as a result of local accents and lack of realistic local knowledge on the part of the census taker. They then had four weeks to write up the census schedule based on their notes collected on the day, with follow up visits to clarify any uncertainties. There was lots of scope therefore for errors to creep in and I suspect somewhere along the line the ages of Eliza and Arthur got swapped.

 

His future wife, the 7 year old Eleanor P Forster, was recorded living in a dwelling on Waddington Street, North Heigham, Norwich. This was the household of her parents, “Jos. B”, (aged 34, no occupation, born Norwich) and Martha, (aged 33, Dressmaker, born Norwich). Eleanor has 4 siblings and 3 step – siblings. As the two groups are broadly comparable in age, I suspect Martha is the second wife of ‘Jos” and is in fact Eleanors’ step-mother.

 

1891 Censuses of England and Wales & Scotland

 

The 17 year old Arthur Chapman, a Shoemaker, born Norwich, was recorded living at 38 Russell Street, Heigham, Norwich. This was the household of his parents, Walter, (aged 40 and a Bricklayer, born Norwich) and Louisa, (aged 37, born Norwich). As well as Arthur, the couples other children living with them are:-

Eliza….aged 15….born Norwich…Tailoress

Ellen….aged 14….born Norwich…Shoe Fitter

Walter..aged 12…..born Norwich

Edith…aged 8…….born Norwich

Herbert.aged 5……born Norwich

Ernest...aged 3……born Norwich

Eva…aged 9 months..born Norwich

 

There is no obvious match for his future wife on this census.

 

1899 – 1902 Boer War

 

According to the Army List of December 1900 the companies of the Ordnance Department in South Africa were the 1st to the 6th and the 9th to the 11th. In his final despatch Lord Roberts said: "This department has had an immense amount of work during the campaign, and under the capable direction of Colonel R Noel Clarke has carried it out in a very satisfactory manner. The military operations covered a vast area, and only two single lines of railway were available, and these were so congested with troops, horses, and material of all sorts, that to get stores to the front in good time was always a matter of uncertainty. That they were able to cope with these difficulties and keep the army supplied with all the various stores that are dealt with by the department, reflects great credit not only on Colonel Clarke, but also on the officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and men under him". Lord Roberts gives some figures showing the stores passing through the department up to the time his lordship left South Africa. Two little items are 122 million rounds of small-arm ammunition; 2 million pairs of horse and mule shoes.

www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/imperial-units/579-...

 

1901 Censuses of England and Wales & Scotland

 

Arthur would have been in South Africa at the time of this census, so is not recorded.

 

His parents were still living at 38 Russell Street, Norwich. Walter, (50, Bricklayer) and Louisa, (46) live there with their children, Ellen, (24, shoe & boot fitter), Walter, (22, boot laster), Herbert, (15, Bricklayer), Eva, (10) and Florence, (8, born Norwich). Also in he household is Walters sister-in-law, Elizabeth Francis, (single, 47 and a housemaid, born Norwich).

 

There is no obvious match for his future wife on this census.

 

30th June 1903 Marriage

 

(Date from Service Records)

 

The marriage of an Arthur Chapman to an Eleanor Patience Forster was recorded in the Norwich District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1903.

 

The marriage of Arthur Chapman, a Bachelor aged 29 to Eleanor Patience Forster, a Spinster aged 29, took place at St Peter Parmentergate, Norwich, on the 30th June 1903. Arthur was a soldier living at 38 Russell Street. Eleanor lived at 31 Rose Lane, Norwich. His father was Walter Chapman, Builder, while hers was Joseph Bilyard Forster, a Whitesmith. The wedding followed the reading of the Banns.

freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/58183bebe93790eb7f...

 

1911 Census of England and Wales

 

The 37 year old Arthur Chapman, a Squadron Sergeant in the Army Ordnance Corps, was recorded living at 18 Tower Hamlets Road, Dover, Kent. This was the household of his married brother-in-law, William Henry Hurley, aged 38 and a Grocers Assistant at the Home & Colonial Stores who was born Saffron Walden, Essex. Williams wife is Leah, (? – tbc) Hurley, (aged 41 and born Norwich). The couple have been married 12 years and have had no children.

 

Arthur was living there with his wife of 8 years, the 37 year old Patience Eleanor, born Norwich. The couple have had three children, but only one was now alive, (see the relevant part of his service record above). Their son living with them is Arthur William, aged 5 and born Norwich.

 

His parents were still living at 38 Russell Street, Norwich, and father Walter, (60), still works as a Bricklayer. His mother, aged 57 and born Norwich, is however shown as Emma Chapman. As the couple have been married 36 years it is not a case of Walter being widowed and then remarried, so seems to be the name she was now known by. The couple have had 14 children but only 7 were then still alive. Still single and living with them are Herbert, (25, Bricklayer), Eva, (21, Boot Fitter), Florance, (18, Dressmaker).

 

Post August 1911 it became compulsory when registering a birth with the Civil Authorities in England and Wales to also record the mothers maiden name. Checking the General Registrars Office Index of Births for England and Wales shows that children registered with the combination of surname Chapman, mothers maiden name Forster is relatively common. However, checking for the daughter shown as born 1912 on Arthurs’ service records does indeed confirm that there is a Leah M Chapman, mothers maiden name Forster, whose birth was registered in the Dover District in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1912.

 

On the day

 

From his service records it would appear he died from a burst stomach ulcer, probably brought on by the circumstances of the last few weeks of his life.

 

He died at No.4 London General Hospital, Denmark Hill.

 

The death of an Arthur Chapman, aged 40, was recorded in the Lambeth District of London in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1914.

 

The 1914 Probate Calendar records that an Arthur Chapman of 24, Clarendon Place, Dover, died 10th September 1914 at King’s College Hospital, Middlesex. Administration was granted at the London Court on the 19th October 1914 to Patience Eleanor Chapman, widow. His effects were valued at £95.

probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar#calendar

 

Postscript

 

It does not look as though Patience remarried – at least as far as the records for England and Wales are concerned. There is a death recorded for a Patience E Chapman in the Hitchin District of Hertfordshire in the July to September quarter of 1966, aged 92, which would make her year of birth circa 1873/1874.

 

There is no obvious Civil Probate for that woman.

 

Done