Name
William Leonard Chapman
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
29/09/1916
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
43037
Northamptonshire Regiment
6th Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TINCOURT NEW BRITISH CEMETERY
VIII.F.17
France
Headstone Inscription
HIS END WAS PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Holy Trinity Church Wall Memorial, Potten End, Not on the Great Gaddesden memorials, Not on the Berkhamsted memorials
Pre War
William Leonard Chapman was born in 1885 in Great Gaddesden, Herts, the son of Charles and Jane Chapman and one 9 children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Potten End, Berkhamsted, Herts where his father was working as a General Labourer. They remained there in 1901, living at 12 Potten End at which time his father was a Nursery Gardener and William was a House boy at a Farm. In 1911 they were still living at 12 Potten End and William was one of 4 children who remained at home. He and his brother George and their father were all working as Nursery Gardeners.
Wartime Service
William enlisted at Berkhamsted, Herts and initially served with the Bedfordshire Regiment under reg, no. 26975, later transferring to the 6th Battalion, Northants Regiment.
He was killed in action in France on 29 September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and is buried at Tincourt New British Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His father Charles received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3 0s 6d. He also ordered the headstone inscription of "HIS END WAS PEACE", while living 12 Potten End, Berkhamsted, Herts.
Pension cards exist in respect of his mother as dependant but give no indication of the amount of pension received.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, dacorumheritage.org.uk., hemelatwar.org.
