Person    | Male  Died 14/7/1916

Captain John Chapman

Categories: Armed Forces

Countries: France

War dead, WW1 i

Commemorated on a memorial as having died in WW1.

Captain John Chapman

John Chapman was born circa 1887 in Middleton St George, Durham, the second of the four children of John George Chapman (1860-1941) and Florence Gertrude Chapman née Bent (1863-1950). On the 1891 census that was taken on 5 April 1891 he is shown as a three-year-old boy visiting a lodging house at 17 West Beach, Lytham, Lancashire, with his mother, his maternal grandfather Peter Bent, aged 63 years and who was a bank manager, his maternal aunt Mary A. Bent, aged 29 years and his three siblings: Rachel Chapman (1886-1977) aged 4 years, Geoffrey Chapman (b.1888) aged 2 years and Marjorie Chapman (1890-1940) aged 5 months. His father was recorded as a coal & iron merchant residing at their home in Middleton St George, Durham, together with a cook. 

He attended University College London where he obtained his B.Sc. He gained his commission in the army and was serving as a Captain in the 21st Battalion, Manchester Regiment, when he was killed in action on 14 July 1916. His body was buried near where he fell, but was subsequently exhumed on 25 October 1920 and reburied in Plot 2, Row C, Grave 8 in the Danzig Alley British Cemetery, Carnoy-Mametz, Somme, France.

Probate records confirm that his home address had been Oak Beech Grove, Harrogate, Yorkshire and had died on active service as a Captain in H.M. Army between 14 & 16 July 1916 in France. Administration was granted to his father, a gentleman, on 1 January 1917 and his estate totalled £1,802-1s-1d. On 23 January 1917 his father was sent some of his army effects totalling £113-13s-4d and a final payment of £8-7s-6d on 14 April 1917.

His medal card fails to show which medals he was posthumously awarded, but he would have been entitled, as a minimum, to both the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal. He is also commemorated on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website that incorrectly shows his year of birth as 1889, on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission's website which gives age as 27 years, but which we would calculate he was nearer 29 years of age and on the Harrogate Obelisk war memorial in Prospect Square, Parliament Street, Harrogate. 

Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Captain John Chapman

Commemorated ati

University College Hall WW1

In memory of the residents of University College Hall who gave their lives in...

Read More

Other Subjects

W. A. Carreck

W. A. Carreck

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Flying Officer Victor Robert Bono

Flying Officer Victor Robert Bono

Victor Robert Bono was born on 16 January 1914 in San Francisco, California, USA, the son of Victor Franz Bono (1890-1975) and Thordis Pederson (1895-1991). He married Stanlee A. Data (b.1915) and...

Person, Armed Forces, USA

War served, WW2
1 memorial
Albert Reginald Twyford

Albert Reginald Twyford

Soldier. At 14 years old, he managed to conceal his real age when he volunteered for the army. Men under the age of 18 were not allowed to join the army and had to be 19 to be sent on overseas serv...

Person, Armed Forces, France

1 memorial
Private John Carr

Private John Carr

John Carr was born in 1883 in Rotherhithe, Surrey (now Greater London). He was a son of John Carr and Elizabeth Carr née Gardiner. In the 1891 census he was shown as living in two rooms at 8 Rudfor...

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Admiral Arthur Phillip

Admiral Arthur Phillip

Founder and first governor of Australia. Born in the ward of Bread Street. Entered the Royal Navy 1753. In 1787 he led a fleet of 11 ships, with a complement of four companies of marines as well a...

Person, Armed Forces, Exploring, Race Issues, Australia

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Princess Louise Duchess of Argyll

Princess Louise Duchess of Argyll

Born at Buckingham Palace, sixth child of Queen Victoria. Was a talented sculptress taught, and possibly more, by Joseph Boehm. In 1871 caused a stir by marrying John Douglas Sutherland Campbell, M...

Person, Royalty, Sculpture, Canada

9 memorials