Name
Harold Thomas James Charles Chapman
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/11/1917
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
31616
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st/5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GAZA WAR CEMETERY
XXX.B.11
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
UK & Other Memorials
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial
St. Mary’s Church Memorial, Rickmansworth
Oddfellows Memorial, Rickmansworth
Pre War
Harold was born in Rickmansworth in 1898 and baptised on the 10th of April, the son of James, a Labourer, and Annie (nee Spurr} Chapman.
In 1901 they were living at Calvin Terrace, 5 Norfolk Road, Rickmansworth with Harold, his sister Cissie and niece and nephew Grace and George Craig. James was now a Brewer’s Drayman. In 1911 they were at 35 Norfolk Road. In 1939 James, now a widower, was still at 35 Norfolk Road with his daughter Cissie, her husband Albert Street, and Constance Barnes.
He is recorded as enlisting in Bedford.
Wartime Service
Harold’s Battalion served at Gallipoli but by December 1915 had been so badly mauled that it was moved back to Egypt to rebuild between January and March 1916. They then spent a year guarding the Suez canal before advancing to Gaza with the British and Commonwealth Forces in March 1917. They took part in all the actions there and the subsequent advance into Palestine.
Harold was killed in action in an attack on Umbrella Hill (part of the Gaza defences) just west of the Rafah-Gaza road during the Third Battle of Gaza on the 2nd of November 1917.
Additional Information
In CWGC and SDITGW as H J T Chapman.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Tanya Britton, Mike Collins
