Fred CHAPMAN

14 July 1916

BRADLEY SOLDIERS WOUNDED

In the big forward move last Sunday week Pte. Stanley Woodrup, 16th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, was wounded in the left arm, and is now in hospital at Leicester. In a cheery letter to his mother he says that he is getting on "champion," and the way they are being treated in the hospital is fine. They have the best of food and are well supplied with reading matter. Their journey from the hospital in France was made very comfortable, having beds both in the hospital trains and on the boats across the Channel to Dover. He says that in the first day's fighting the losses were terrible, only three out of their section coming out alive, and their battalion was awfully cut up. He was surprised to run up against Fred Chapman, another of the Bradley lads, who was carrying stretchers down at the clearing station in France. He was very pleased to see that he (Woodrup) had come through it so well. He mentioned about the splendid work the nurses are doing in France. There was one actually in the third line trenches dressing bad wounds owing to the doctors not being able to attend to all the cases. She was from the hospital train which had come up for the wounded. He hopes to visit them at home before long, and is anxious to hear whether any more of the Bradley boys have been wounded. Woodrup was formerly employed by Mr. H. Widdup, gas and oil engineer, Keighley.

Mr. W.J. Mitchell, grocer, Victoria Terrace, Bradley, received a postcard on Tuesday morning informing him that his son, Sergt. Fred Mitchell, was in hospital at Duston, Northampton. Mr. Mitchell wired to his son the same day, who replied that he was wounded in the right arm, but it was not serious. Sergt. Mitchell was in the 9th Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment. He was formerly employed by Mr. E. Wiseman, manufacturer, Silsden, and has recently been undergoing a course of instruction at a training school.

07 December 1917

CHAPMAN - Nov. 24th, died from wounds received in France, Pte. Fred Chapman, of the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, of Bradley, aged 30.

07 December 1917

BRADLEY

PTE. FRED CHAPMAN KILLED

The parents of Pte. Fred Chapman, of the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment, has been notified by the Record Office, York, that their son died from wounds in the chest and shoulder on Nov. 24th. He enlisted on March 1st, 1916, and had been in France about 18 months. He had only been back three days after having had 14 days' leave. The greatest sympathy is felt for the family in their sad bereavement. He was 30 years of age, and was formerly employed by Messrs. P. Green and Co.

The following letter has been received from the chaplain, No 17, Casualty Clearing Station, B.E.F.:- "It is with deep regret and sympathy I send you the sad news of the death of your son, Pte. F. Chapman, of the West Riding Regiment. He received shell wounds in right arm and both legs, and was admitted on the 23rd instant to this Casualty Clearing Station, where he passed away on the 24th instant. He was buried in the cemetery near. I pray that in your loss and sorrow you may be comforted by God our Heavenly Father, and may confide in Him, your refuge and strength and present help in trouble."

A memorial service was held at the Primitive Methodist Chapel on Sunday evening. In the address given by Mr. Mitchell, feeling reference was made to the loss of one of their old Sunday-school scholars. Miss Linda Denby gave the solo 'Angels ever bright and fair,' and the anthem, Tennyson's 'Crossing the bar,' was sung by the choir.

29 November 1918

In loving memory of our dear son and brother Pte. Fred Chapman, West Riding Regiment, who was killed Nov. 24th, 1917.

With aching hearts we shook his hand,
Tears glistened in our eyes;
We wished him luck, but little thought
It was his last good-bye.

- From Father, Mother, Brother, and Sisters, and Brother in France. 4, Victoria Terrace, Bradley.