Hull Pals Memorial Post. PRIVATE FRED JOHN CHAPMAN 22506. Born Hull, 5th October 1889, Fred was the third of five children to William and Betsy Chapman, of 37 Worthing Street, Hull (War Pension address). A Labourer by trade he worked for Reckitts. He enlisted at City Hall on 12th December 1915 leaving England on 17th June 1916, bound for the trenches of the Western Front. He joined the 12th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 3rd Hull Pals, on 7th July 1916. He lasted less than a month. Fred was killed in action on 6th August 1916 and is buried in St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery; he was 26 years old.
His older brother, Gunner, Alfred Chapman, 216th RGA, was killed in action on 27/05/1918, aged 36. Both brothers are commemorated together on the st Johns, Newland Church memorial, Clough Road, Hull. He left other brothers, Sidney and Will, at 36 Worthing Street, Hull.
Note: His war pension card records his surname as “Clapham”.
