CHAPMAN, Alfred George
| Service Number: | 1630 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 October 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Australian General Hospital (WW1) |
| Born: | Magill, South Australia, 16 November 1899 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Transverse myelitis, Red Sea (HMAHS Kanowna, 18 April 1918, aged 18 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Nailsworth Primary School Great War Roll of Honour, The South Australian National War Memorial, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley South Park Bowling Club Memorial, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board, Unley Wayville Honor Roll, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Oct 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 1630, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 1630, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide | |
| 18 Apr 1918: | Involvement Private, 1630, 1st Australian General Hospital (WW1), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1630 awm_unit: No. 1 Australian General Hospital awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-04-18 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Charles Campbell College
Alfred George Chapman was born on the 16th of November 1899, in Magill, SA. He lived at 76 Park Terrace, Wayville in South Australia. His occupation was a Clerk, and his religion was Congregational. His mother was Mrs Emily Chapman, and his father was Alan Hume Chapman.
He first enlisted in the war on the 25th of October at the age of 15. He joined the “C” Company Depot on the 8th of April 1916, a training unit used to prepare soldiers for the war. On the 8th of April 1916, he also embarked from South Australia to England on board the HMAT A19 “Afric”. On the 18th of April 1916, he officially joined the 43rd Battalion and served as a Private. On the 11 July 1916, he arrived in England.
On the 1 November 1916, he was charged with a disciplinary record for being absent without leave, and as punishment, was confined to barracks for 7 days and forfeited one day’s pay. On the 25th of November 1916, he continued to travel to France from Southampton. The 43rd Battalion deployed to the Western Front in December 1916, where they adapted to the cold, harsh conditions of the trenches and the environment.
From June 7th to the 14th 1917, the unit fought in their first major battle, the Battle of Messines, a trench warfare battle in Belgium. Throughout the battle, the unit successfully captured the fortified Wytschaete-Messines Ridge, a stronghold held by the German Army of the Western Front.
The unit also fought in the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) from the 31st of July to November 10th, 1917. The battle consisted of gruelling operations in the mud and rain of Flanders. During the conflict, Alfred George Chapman was detached to the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot in Rouelles, France.
On the 2nd of October 1917, Alfred Chapman was transferred from the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot for duty at the 1st Australian General Hospital in Rouen. The following day he was again taken on strength with the 43rd Battalion. On the 10th of December 1917, he was transferred sick to the 1st Australian General Hospital with influenza. He returned to his unit on 18th October 1917. In early November he was in trouble again, this for being absent from paraade and was confined to barracks for 7 days. In late November he took leave and returned to England. While on leave he was admitted to King George Hospital from 5 December 1917.
On the 14th of January 1918, he transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. On the 10th of March 1918, he was found with a critical illness and embarked on the A62 to return to Australia from England.
A month after he embarked for Australia, Alfred George Chapman died in the Red Sea due to transverse myelitis, which was a disease that causes inflammation of the spinal cord.
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