Name
Walter Chapman
1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/09/1918
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19628
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
AIX-NOULETTE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
II. H. 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND REST IN PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town Memorial,
Christ Church (formerly Holy Trinity Church) Memorial, Waltham Cross,
St Mary & St Clements Church Memorial, Clavering Essex,
Clavering Village War Memorial Obelisk
Pre War
Walter Chapman was born in Clavering, Essex, in 1889, son of John Chapman an, Agricultural Worker and Susannah Chapman (nee Matthews). On of twelve children, although two died in infancy.
1891 Census records Walter aged 2, living with his parents, and five siblings in, Starling Green, Clavering, Essex.
1901 Census records Walter aged 12, working as a Farm Boy, living with his parents, and six siblings at, Parsonage Farm, Clavering, Essex, were his father was a Stockman.
On 16th February 1909, Walter married Thirza Fanny Goodwin, the daughter of William and Mary Ann Goodwin of Clavering, at St Mary & St Clements Church, Clavering. They went on to have three children, Stanley, Harry and Irene Mary.
1911 Census records Walter (22), married to Thirza and they have one son Stanley and living in, Mill End, Clavering, Essex. Walter was employed as a Farm Labourer.
At the time Walter enlisted the family were now living at, 31, Eleanor Road, Waltham Cross, Herts.
Wartime Service
Walter travelled to the County Town of Hertford to enlist, posted to the Suffolk Regiment with the service number 45382, on 17th April 1917.
He embarked at Folkstone on 28th June 1917, for France. Transferred and posted to the 8th Battalion, The Queens Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment with the service number19628, on 21st July 1917. Seeing service on the Western Front, he was Killed in Action on 21st September 1918.
Additional Information
Thirza received a widows pension of 29/7, a week from 7th April 1919 and his effects of £19-01s-07d, Pay Owing and his War Gratuity of £6.
Two of his brothers also fell in the war. Private 16283/109841 Arthur Chapman of The Queens (Royal West Surrey) Regiment / Labour Corps, died on 24th September 1918, aged 37. And brother Private 21312 Charles Chapman of the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was Killed in Action on 20th August 1916, aged 22. Charles lived in Newport, Essex.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
