Private Charles Herbert Chapman

Charles Herbert Chapman was born in Penge to parents William, who worked as a greengrocer and Emma (nee Cross). His parents had married in 1867 and by the time CHARLES was born on 15th November 1886 they already had eight children. CHARLES’s birth was registered in Penge- an area his parents had been living since their marriage. Another child Ethel was born in 1888, making a total of ten children for the couple.

CHARLES attended St. John’s school in Penge.

By 1901 Charles aged 15 is living with his parents and four siblings at 74 Hawthorn Grove in Penge. His father was still working as a Greengrocer (by his own account) so most likely his own business. Charles’s siblings living at home were: Martha aged 23 working as a Bookkeeper, Frederick 22 a Greengrocer, Alice aged 20 a School teacher and Edith aged 13 still at school.

By 1911 Charles’s parents had been married for 44 years and were still living at number 74 Hawthorn Grove in Penge, a property with 6 rooms. They had ten children who were all born in Penge and all still alive. Charles was now working with his father as a Greengrocer and his mother Emma was listed as an Assistant in the business. His sister Martha was working as a Domestic help whilst Edith aged 23 was working as a Drapers Assistant.

Charles was 28 when war broke out in 1914.

In 1916 he married Alice Maud Pyle, a local girl who in 1911 was living at 16 Cottingham Road in Penge . Like Charles’s sister Edith, Alice also worked for a Drapers shop.

Charles and Alice married on 27th September 1916 at Christchurch, Colliers Wood. Alice’s address was listed as 81 Lyveden Road, Colliers Wood whilst Charles’s address was listed as 74 Hawthorn Grove. Surprisingly on the marriage certificate Charles’s profession and that of his father William was listed as Removal Contractors and not Greengrocers.

A couple of months after his wedding, Charles enlisted in Bromley on the 28th December 1916 and joined the Royal Sussex Regiment 13th Battalion as a Private. He served with the British Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders.

Charles was killed in action at Lancashire Farm (an area in France) on 18th June 1917. War diaries for the Royal Sussex Regiment 13th Battalion on the 18th June 1917 at Lancashire Farm states “five men wounded and one killed after a direct hit from hostile artillery”. No names are mentioned, but one can assume the man who died was Charles Herbert Chapman. His captain wrote “He died like a brave man at his post of duty, and was a favourite among all his comrades”.

Charles was buried at the New Military Cemetery, Vlamertinghe, west of Ypres. He is also remembered on a Memorial at Christ Church, Colliers Wood