Reggie Robert Chapman

Census Address: 21 Bentley Street
Place of Birth: Beccles
Date of Birth: 1899
Enlistment Address: 21 Bentley Street
Regiment: Durham Light Infantry
Service Numbers: 80404
Place of Death: Glamorgan
Date Died: 1980
21 Bentley Street, Stamford

  8th December 2015

Reggie Robert Chapman was born in Beccles, Suffolk on January 3rd 1899. His father, John Thomas, was a fish dealer from Kings Lynn and his mother Anne Martha was born in Whissensett, Norfolk. In 1911 Reggie lived at 21 Bentley Street and he had one sister Alice aged 6.

In 1917 Reggie enlisted in the 3rd Durham Light Infantry. He was 5 ft 8 ins which was above average height. He gave his occupation as a carpenter and joiner. He was posted to France with the British Expeditionary Force and was reported missing in April 1918 .He was taken prisoner during the Battle of Estaires on April 10th 1918 and he was held in Munster camp. He wrote home saying that he was a Prisoner of War in May 1918.

He was demobbed September 1919 and in 1922 he married Evelyn Stooke in Bourne who was born in Essendine in 1896.

His sister Alice Lilian married George Nelson Riley.

Reggie’s cousin, William John King,  was living at 21 Bentley Street in 1911 , he was born in 1897.

Amendments and Addenda

Evelyn Stooke, Reggie Robert’s wife, was the daughter of John Robert Stooke - the headmaster of Essendine School. She had 7 brothers but only 3 survived the war. (For more details of her brothers, search for "Stooke" on Rutland Remembers site.)