Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Vicki Purnell 

After having enlisted a few days earlier, a group of five young men departed Devonport on Tuesday, 3 August 1915, by train en route to the Claremont Training Camp on what they no doubt thought was going to be an adventure of a lifetime.
 
Those young men, all teenagers, included Alwyn Field, Wallace Chapman and Phil Nothrop. Alwyn, Wallace and Phillip initially were part of the 11th Reinforcements of the 12th Battalion. The three boys would not return home from World War 1.

Wallace Chapman was born on 5 June 1896 in Devonport to parents Isaac and Sarah May (Murray) Chapman. Isaac was a bootmaker by trade with his own premises in Steele Street.

Wallace was the seventh child and third born son of Isaac and Mary ‘s ten children. It appears that Isaac and Sarah’s family experienced much tragedy with older sister Pattie passing away at two years of age, from cerebro spinal congestion (hydrocephalus). Brothers Bruce and Isaac both passed away in 1911. On 28 January Bruce passed away from heart condition and Isaac due to an accident at sea off Cape Horn in March. It appears Isaac lost his footing on 4 July and fell into the sea whilst aloft endeavouring to bring in the topsail of the barque the Loch Broom.

As young boys Alwyn and Wallace attended Devonport State School together. As early as 1907 when they were only around 10 years old, they were in the army cadets undertaking musketry training at the school. Alwyn had a bit of talent as a good shot with a score of 79 but Wallace’s score of 6 put him at the bottom of the class.

Wallace was finally accepted for service in mid July 1915 after having been rejected twice. He also had 8 years of service in the cadets/militia and at the time of enlisting he was a corporal in the machine gun section.

Prior to enlisting, Wallace had been a watchmaker apprenticed to and in the employ of Mr. Edgar Keen, a watchmaker and jeweler who was located in Stewart St in Devonport. Wallace was held in high regard by his employer for 5 years. Incidentally, Edgar also went on to enlist exactly one year later at 44 years of age leaving behind his wife Mary and two sons to carry on the business. Edgar’s business would later be purchased by the Churcher family following his death.

Aside from the cadets, Wallace immersed himself in other activities in the community. He was a prominent member of the Mersey Rowing Club, the Mersey Football Club and the Federal Gymnasium.
Wallace officially enlisted on 5 August 1915 after arriving in Claremont. His service number was 3463 and he was 19 years and 2 months old. He entered with the rank of Corporal and was a little shorter than his two mates at 5 feet 7 ½ inches tall with fair hair and blue eyes.

At the end of July 1915, just before heading off to Claremont, Alwyn and Wallace attended a social evening at the Devonport Masonic Hall. H. McFie presented each of the men with a fountain pen and expressed his best wishes for their safe return.
Before leaving for the Broadmeadows Training Camp in Melbourne, Alwyn came home to Devonport to visit his parents.

All three boys, Alwyn, Phillip and Wallace departed Melbourne on board the HMAT Ascanius on 10th November 1915.

The last of the three boys who had departed Devonport by train on 3 August 1915 had lost their life.