No.40719, Private, Charles CHAPMAN
Aged 27
|
Charles Chapman was born on 27th March 1890 (Newmarket Q2-1890 3B:518), baptised in Burwell in St Andrew's Chapel on 6th November 1890, son of Charles and
Mary Ann CHAPMAN (née DURRANT).
1891 census...Aged 1, recorded as Chapman CHAPMAN, he was at North Street with his father Charles CHAPMAN [37] labourer in manure factory; his mother Mary Ann [37]; brothers Thomas [13] farm labourer, Alfred [11] farm labourer, and John W [5]; sisters Mary Ann [9],l Harriet [8] and Sarah [3]. They were all born in Burwell. 1901 census...Aged 11, he was at North Street, Burwell with his parents (father now a carpenter), brother William (John W) a famr labourer and sister Sarah and Agnes [7] born Burwell. 1911 census...Aged 21 has was at North Street, Burwell with his parents, brother William (labourer) and sister Agnes. On 26th February 1916, in St Mary's Burwell, he married Amy Gladys LAYTON [25] (Newmarket Q1-1916 3B:1007) |
|
He enlisted in Newmarket.
Lt Col Murphy's "History of the Suffolk Regiment" has: The 2nd Suffolks, on 11th April 1917 at short notice and no preparation, were ordered to take part in an attack on Guemappe. The objective could not be seen until an intervening ridge had been crossed and at first troops mistook the buildings on Les Fosse farm for the village. As a result of enfilading machine gun fire from the right, everyone edged off a little to the right, advancing with their tin helmets titled over to the right as if marching in a hail storm. Progress was made, but our men, with totally inadequate artillery support- being unable to cross the long forward slope to cover, swept as it was by a tornado of bullets from front and flank, crept into shell holes as best they could. They witnessed a gallant but fruitless mounted attack on Monchy-le-Preux by the 3rd Cavalry Division. Two or three more attempts were made to gain more ground but without success and they were forced to consolidate where they lay...movement was almost impossible, preventing communications and worse, the collection of casualties in spite of gallant services of the stretcher bearers. In the afternoon a fresh battalion attacked but with no more success and the day wore on until darkness intervened and about midnight a relief was carried out and the battalion withdrew to trenches near Tilloy. Thus the successes of the battalion on the opening day of the Scarpe on April 9th was followed 2 days later by a complete failure. There had been 124 casualties, of which 33 were killed.
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
