Joseph CHAPMAN

10 September 1915

SILSDEN SOLDIER WOUNDED IN THE DARDANELLES

Lance-Corporal Joseph Chapman, of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, a former resident of Silsden, who had been wounded in the operations at the Dardanelles, paid a visit to his native place (Silsden) last week-end. He had been granted leave from hospital for a few days in order that he might see a sister who is ill at his present home in Keighley.

Lance-Corporal Chapman has been a member of His Majesty's Forces for close upon four years, during the whole of which time he has been with the Dublin Fusiliers. He informed our representative that he took part in the early operations at the Dardanelles, landing at Cape Helles on the 25th of April. Fortunately for him they were able to land without encountering very stiff opposition such as was meted out to our troops at other landing places. However, they were very soon drawn up for serious work, when he experienced his baptism of fire from the Turks. When they got about three miles inland they found the Turks concentrated in large forces, and the fighting that took place was of a very stubborn character. He had been in nine bayonet charges, for the trenches had to be taken at the point of the bayonet, and if there was anything the Turks disliked it was facing cold steel. They often showed their temerity when being attacked with the bayonet, and invariably took to their heels.

It was during a bayonet charge on the morning of the 24th of June that Lance-Corporal Chapman received a bullet wound which necessitated his retirement from further activity. The French artillery had been heavily shelling some trenches occupied by the Turks in front of the British lines, when the order was given for the Fusiliers to make a charge. When they landed to the first line trench it was full of dead Turks, as a result of the artillery He was just going over the parapet when a bullet struck him in the back of the neck and came out just below the right ear. He considered himself extremely fortunate not to have been hit before, for with the exception of a slight shrapnel wound sustained in his left arm which he described as a mere nothing, he had been able to steer clear of serious harm prior to the 28th of June.

He was very well treated by the medical fraternity in the case of his wound, and after a short time he was transported to Malta where he was confined to hospital for five weeks, during which time he suffered from enteric fever. From there he was brought to St. Gabriel's College Hospital, at London, where he had been about a week prior to being granted leave to pay a visit to his home. He bears the marks on his neck where the bullet penetrated the flesh, and also where it came out, but the most unfortunate phase of the wound is that a guider must have been severed, as he is unable to use his right arm, which hangs very limp.

He considers they have made excellent progress at the Dardanelles when taking into account the strength of the Turkish Forces. He speaks optimistically about the final result which he hopes will be accomplished before winter sets in. He said that whenever they wanted a bit of music in the trenches they had only to pop a spade over the parapet, and the bullets from the Turkish snipers fairly rattled against the steel.

Lance-Corporal Chapman returned to the hospital at London on Monday.

13 October 1916

SILSDEN - LANCE-COR. WOUNDED A SECOND TIME

Lance-Corporal Joseph Chapman, of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and a former Silsden resident, has been wounded during the recent offensive on the Western Front. In a letter to his brother he says he sustained a flesh wound by being hit by a bullet, which necessitated his removal to the Base Hospital. He was only confined to hospital for a few days, and is now back in the line again. Whenever he visits home again he hopes that occasion is the termination of the war. Lance-Cor. Chapman was in the midst of several months' fighting in the Dardanelles, being eventually brought to England owing to a severe bullet wound in the arm. During his stay on the Peninsula he participated in no less than nine bayonet charges.