204872 Charles Frederick Chapman British Army 11th Btn. Rifle Brigade from:Fulham London My grandfather Charles Frederick Chapman was working on the Central Hall Westminster in 1914/15. He was married with 3 small children. He enlisted at 22 Tufton Street Westminster under the Derby scheme in December 1915. My Grandmother told me that he came home from work and told her that he had to go as all his friends had enlisted. He went to France in May 1915 and was posted to 11th Rifle Brigade in 20th Light Division. He was a good shot, even in old age he could knock needles out of a fence post at 25yds and I believe he was a sniper.Eventually he was posted to 12th Rifle Brigade. On 16th August 1917 he took part in the Battle of Langemark and was seriously wounded in the chest and buttock by machine gun fire from a German position called Rat House. I have his wound ticket, the card from the field ambulance and his hospital card together with the brown envelope in which they were pinned to his tunic. His Battalion war diary records that most of the casualties on this day were to the right side & back so I can tie down the timing of his wound pretty precisely to 16.30hrs on that day.
He lay on the battlefield for at least two days as his field ambulance card is dated 19th August and he was picked up by 131 Field Ambulance which was from 38th Welsh Division which had relieved the 20th Division on 17th August.
He was sent to No 6 General Hospital in Rouen and on 18th October 1917 his card was marked as England (A) Ship. I know this because I still have the card. In England he was admitted to St Georges Hospital, Hyde Park Corner, now a hotel and whilst he was there the patients were inspected by the King.
He was discharged as unfit for war service on 23rd March 1918, was granted a disability pension and died in 1959
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