Name
Clement Chapman (*1)
24/02/1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266741
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
He has no headstone. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the missing.
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town Memorial, Christ Church (formerly Holy Trinity Church) Memorial, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Clement Chapman was born in Enfield Highway, Middlesex, on 24th February 1891, son of Sidney Chapman a, Great Eastern Railway Company, Plate Layer and Mary Ann Chapman (nee Ball). The eldest of nine children.
Baptised at St. James’s Church, Enfield Highway, Middx, on 12th April 1891.
1891 Census records Clement aged 2 months, living with his parents at, Maria Terrace, Enfield, Middx.
Clement attended St. Mary Infants School and Dewhurst Endowed Boy’s school, Cheshunt, leaving in December 1904, aged 13, when the family left the area.
1901 Census records Clement aged 10, living with his parents, and five siblings at, Railway Cottage, Cadmore Lane, Cheshunt, Herts.
1911 Clement (20) was employed as a Furniture Shop Assistant, living with his parents, and seven siblings at, GER Cottages, Park Lane, Waltham Cross, Herts.
Wartime Service
Clement travelled to the County Town of Hertford, with younger brother Clifford in June 1915 to enlist, both brothers enlisted for 4 years in the Hertfordshire Regiment, Territorial Force, Clement with the service number 5220 and Clifford with the service number 5209. They both later signed to say they would serve overseas with the Regiment. (Territorials did not have to serve overseas but could volunteer for overseas service). On completion of his training he travelled to France in March 1916, seeing action on the Western Front.
He was recorded presumed dead on or since 31st July 1917, at the Third Battle of Ypres 1917 – The Battle of Pilckem Ridge, (31st July - 2nd August 1917). The Hertfordshire Regiment suffered exceptionally heavy casualties that day.
We believed Clement was wounded during the actions of that day and taken a Prisoner of War (POW) dying soon after. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate ) Memorial to the missing.
Additional Information
His effects of £5-2s-9d, Pay Owing and his War Gratuity of £9, went to his father Sidney. Two of his brother also fell in the war. Private 235227 Clifford Samson Chapman of The Royal Welsh Fusiliers, died on 4th July 1918 and Private 24930 Frederick Chapman of The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), died on 31st July 1917 (the same day as brother Clement).
*1 There is a C Chapman on the Cheshunt Town and the Holy Trinity (died 1917). There appear to be two possible men: Private 266741, Clement Chapman, 1st Bn. Hertfordshire Regiment (died) 1917) and Private 21312, Charles Chapman, 1st (City of London) Bn., London Regiment (died 1916)– the latter seems to have a weaker connection to Cheshunt – so, given that Clement died in 1917, he is the man commemorated in Holy Trinity Church and so is most likely to also be the man commemorated to the Town memorial. We have therefore recorded Charles as not on the Cheshunt memorials.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
