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John Chapman died of wounds sustained at the Second Battle of Passchendaele at No 4 Casualty Clearing Section on 28 Oct 1917 aged 22. He is buried at the British Cemetery at Dozinghem, Belgium. His brother, Samuel Chapman was to be killed in action in the same area six weeks later on 14 Dec 1917.
John was born on 25 Feb 1895 in Hull. His family later moved to Beverley. His father Samuel Chapman, of Hull was a self-employed painter as was his father, John, who according to the 1881 census employed 12 men and 5 boys. Sam's mother was Rachel Chapman nee Banham originally from Norwich. John had a brother Samuel and a sister Rachel, who married into the Oglesby family of Beverley.
John attended St Mary's Boys School in Beverley and became an apprentice plumber at George Pape & Sons of Beverley. He was a member of the Beverley Company of the Church Lads Brigade and in Aug 1914 joined the Territorials. He later joined the 5th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment (The Green Howards), part of 150th Brigade, and 50th division and served in France and Belgium from Apr 1915 onwards. He served as a private and as a drummer.
John's injuries were sustained whilst in the support line. The Beverley Guardian of 29 Dec 1917 contained a letter from Matron G Gregnes of the Clearing Station to his mother that outlined the circumstances of his death. He had been "badly wounded by gunshot in the thigh, back, arms, legs and foot and although everything possible was done for him he passed away peacefully at 12.50 pm on Oct 28." He "was too ill to realise he was dying or to feel pain." She went on to say that, "he will be buried in the cemetery here and his grave will be marked with a cross with his name on it".
John is remembered on the Beverley Church Lads Brigade Roll of Honour, the East Yorkshire Regimental Memorial in Beverley Minster, on St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, St Mary's Boys School Roll of Honour and on the Hengate War Memorial in Beverley.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |